I can also envision the look on thor's face when he's met at the pearly gates by a little brown man in a turban or a big Rasta, smokin' a heavenly splif

Figure the odds.

If we go by the global distribution of religion and systems of belief, I'd say Christians only have a 1 in 3 chance of being right

If only reality was Democratic, it would sort everything out!

So someone who has never heard of God does not suffer from eternal separation,

but someone who has but rejects Him does.

Is the decision permanent? I've often heard of atheists who later in life have become Christians, but had previously denied God. Is this denial revoked?

What about people from other religions who openly say that your God is a false one. Will they suffer the eternal separation or do you believe, as Eddie does, that all of the different religions are really worshipping the same God but in a different manifestation, therefore they are not technically denying God but are simply unaware of his various forms?

If they deny that Jesus Christ is the son of God and refuse to accept him, they are without hope.

and therein lies the problem.
I respect your conviction to faith as I respect thor's (though the two of you disagree at times)
So I wonder, would you give your life for your faith? Would you take a life for your faith?
Dare I ask the same questions of thor?

Of course it's not permanent. God wants us to accept Him. At whatever point it happens.

If they deny that Jesus Christ is the son of God and refuse to accept him, they are without hope.

So two thirds of our planet's current population are automatically going to be sent to Hell because they have different religious beliefs that, due to the nature of these beliefs, make the default assumption that Jesus cannot be the son of God?

So two thirds of our planet's current population are automatically going to be sent to Hell because they have different religious beliefs that, due to the nature of these beliefs, make the default assumption that Jesus cannot be the son of God?

The context of the unforgivable sin suggests that it means believing ultimate good to be evil.

I have a lot of difficulty with that myself. For a start, the great majority of those of other religions or none are not really aware of the Christian Gospel. They nearly all know that Christianity exists, but have little knowledge of what it teaches.

Although many strict Protestants believe that to be saved one must die a full Christian, this leaves a very large number of people without hope of salvation, which seems to me inconsistent with 1 Tim 2:3-4, where God is described as wanting all to be saved.

Romans 1 suggests that God has revealed himself to all men, so that none are without excuse. That's why I mentioned fictional Willy Nubu earlier. Even those in the world (and there are many)who have never heard of Jesus or the "Christian gospel" have a concept of God in whatever way He has revealed Himself to them. So, obviously, they can't be held responsible for how they do or don't respond to a gospel they've never heard. But they do know God on some level, and will be held accountable for whether or not they glorified Him.

If they have a "religious belief" that causes them to deny that Jesus is the son of God then, yes, they won't spend eternity with him. I believe that's what the Bible teaches.

So by this interpretation, someone who does not believe in God or the trinity cannot commit the unforgivable sin as they are denying the existence of such a being which negates the possibility of believing it to be evil. Right?

What is a full Christian?

If they are judged on whether they glorified God, then what point is there in accepting Jesus as your lord and saviour? If you know about Jesus then you need to accept him to get into Heaven, its an extra criteria that isn't required of others. If I was a Christian and actually believed this, I would be campaigning to stop missionaries from spreading the word of the New Testament as it just seems to spread extra demands for getting into Heaven and is decreasing people's chances of being saved.

I just find that to be despicable.

this really can't be ignored

Yeah, I mean isn't enjoyment and bliss as much a product of dissatisfaction and misery as they are delight in the actuality of the present? How could you be happy being happy all the time? It leaves nothing to strive for.

I don't know. How can you ever enjoy what you have if you've never been without?