This threw evangelicals into a tizzy. After all, the Bible makes it clear that heaven is reserved for Christians. The evangelicals complained that people must not have understood the question. The respondents couldn’t actually believe what they were saying, could they?
So in August, Pew asked the question again. This time, sixty-five percent of respondents said — again — that other religions could lead to eternal life. But this time, to clear up any confusion, Pew asked them to specify which religions. The respondents essentially said all of them, including Hinduism and Islam.
And they didn’t stop there. Nearly half also thought that atheists could go to heaven — dragged there kicking and screaming, no doubt — and most thought that spiritual people with no religious affiliations also could go.
In another recent survey, Pew asked people what they thought determined whether a person would achieve eternal life. Nearly as many Christians said you could achieve eternal life by just being a good person as said that you had to believe in Jesus. In fact, on the question in the Pew survey about what it would take to achieve eternal life, only 1 percent of Christians said living life in accordance with the Bible.
Rameshwaram’s Sacred Wells: Research Request
HPI
KAUAI, HAWAII, December 28, 2008: Hinduism Today magazine is doing a report on the 22 sacred wells located within Rameshwaram Temple in Tamil Nadu. We have seen several lists of the significance of the wells, but are seeking the “definitive” listing of sins absolved and blessings bestowed by each of the wells. For those not familiar with the temple, pilgrims are taken from well to well and are blessed with a bucket of water over their head at each. Despite being located close together, the water from each well is distinctive in both taste and temperature. At half the wells, various sins are absolved; at the other half blessings bestowed. For those with special information on the temple’s wells, contact ar@hindu.org.