No doubt about it; Microsoft co-founder, philanthropist and uber-billionaire Bill Gates has done a lot of amazing things in his years on this planet.
Through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he’s given away $28 billion (almost half of his total wealth) since 2007. That money has gone to improving education, providing medical aid for millions of children, upgrading water/sanitation in the developing world and much more.
Along the way, Gates has persuaded other billionaires, such as Warren Buffett, to similarly dedicate massive amounts of their personal wealth to charity.
In short, this guy ROCKS.
So what about the meme (found in an internet atheism community) that inspired me to write this essay?
I did some research; after reading several interviews, it seems Gates can best be described as agnostic. That means he declares that he simply doesn’t know if there’s a God.
So, is Bill Gates going to hell, as this graphic suggests? The simple answer for me is: I don’t know.
As a follower of Jesus of Nazareth (who many people believe is God’s Son), I DO know that giving $28 billion or $280 billion to charity is not the ticket to Heaven. No one can buy eternal life with God. It’s not for sale.
Indeed, one of Jesus’s earliest followers noted “Your salvation doesn’t come from anything you do. It is God’s gift. It is not based on anything you have done. No one can brag about earning it.”
On the other hand, having faith in Jesus and doing nothing about it isn’t going to go over well, either.
One of Jesus’s brothers explained it this way: “Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? Isn’t it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?”
I don’t know where that leaves someone like Bill Gates. After all, despite his “God-acts” he is not (and never will be) anywhere close to perfect.
For example, under his leadership the United States government took Microsoft to court over anti-competitive business practices. Despite Gates’ testimony, the company lost. In addition, while Gates was chairman and chief software architect, Microsoft lost another major anti-competition court case, this time to the European Union.
But never mind Bill. What about YOU? You can’t buy your way into Heaven, so how does your behaviour stack up? Examine it with cold, hard realism. Can you defend and account for every wrong thing you’ve done and every right thing you’ve failed to do?
If you’re like me, you can’t. But by believing in Jesus and following Him, you don’t have to. He’s the gift that gives you eternal life. How about giving Him serious consideration?
Frank's Cottage 
Nope! Can’t buy our way into heaven, that’s for sure. It is only by God’s grace that we are saved. Blessings, Frank!
Thanks for the kind comment, Martha. If the essay wasn’t in danger of running long, I would have added that it’s also NOT possible to barter your way into Heaven.
In other words, whatever good deeds we’ve done can’t count towards cancelling out the bad things we’ve done and the good things we’ve failed to do. Going to Heaven is never a negotiated thing.
I find it odd that you’d single out a churchgoing Catholic and claim he doesn’t believe in God.
1. David, as I mentioned in the essay, I researched what Bill Gates said about faith in several interviews. That is the basis for my assessment.
2. I called Bill an agnostic. That’s different from an atheist.
3. The initial singling out was done by members of an atheist Internet community. They created the meme/graphic that inspired this essay.
Yes, the text of your essay is more nuanced, and says he’s agnostic, which may or may not be accurate, I read some of those interviews, and came away with a different impression of his personal beliefs. For example, this is from the Christian Post:
“When asked if he believed in God, he responded, “I think it makes sense to believe in God, but exactly what decision in your life you make differently because of it, I don’t know.” — http://goo.gl/uKVUP9
Not a clear affirmation of belief, but not enough for me to be willing to label him an agnostic. You’ve probably read more interviews of him than I, and came to a different conclusion, that’s fine.
Yet, while your essay is more nuanced, you chose to illustrate it with an image that’s anything but nuanced, which appears to judge him an unbeliever destined for Hell.
When we get right down to it, how can any human being truly know anybody else’s beliefs? Much less be in a position to judge them? I find it hard enough to know and evaluate my own beliefs.
Every individual’s beliefs seem to differ, a lot or a little, from every other individual’s beliefs. So, if beliefs are required, I hope God has a notion of “close enough”; that seems to be part of what grace is. Who are we to say whether or not someone else is close enough?
For some reason, I didn’t see point 3 when I made my reply. Out of context, it’s hard to tell the source of the image, but I hope you are aware that there are some Protestants who seem to consider Catholics to be godless non-believers. (eg. Jack Chick is one of the more blatant ones pushing that viewpoint).
I apologize, I was feeling poorly last night, and I need to watch what I say more closely when I feel poorly. My tone was bad, some of the “facts” were stretched beyond recognition, and I managed to get judgmental while speaking against judgmentalism.
No problem at all, David. No one is perfect (well, except One…). 🙂
One can argue that someone like Bill, who is not sure that believing in God would change his actions and who continues to act so generously and compassionately, is more kind and deserving than someone who only acts kindly because he or she is afraid of being punished for not doing so.
Some of the kindest people are not acting out of fear, but some of the most violent acts in history have been committed for religious purposes. Belief in God does not override cruelty and a wavering belief doesn’t justify one going to Hell in my view. Jesus died for our sins and if going to heaven is a given, then we don’t have to earn it.
The Bible is full of contradictions and makes it difficult to read. Faith is difficult for man. God knows that. He says “Forgive seventy times seven.” Those who look into their hearts and follow the good intentions should be rewarded and forgiven by God, who preaches forgiveness.
Sandie, you are not alone in believing the Bible is “full of contradictions”. Let me gently ask you: does this viewpoint come from your reading of the Bible? Or has it come from hearing and accepting the opinion of others who have made this declaration?
There are all kinds of books and websites (especially http://www.CARM.org and http://www.ReasonableFaith.org) that carefully, fully examine and explain ALL the supposed contradictions. Because I believe it’s important to be sure of your viewpoint, I urge you to take the time to visit them and ask questions.
He’s going straight to hell. Are you kidding me? You can be a do-gooder with your actions, but Jesus measures you by your HEART’S MOTIVES and will SPIT him out because he is NOT “a follower of Jesus” – he can claim to be – doesn’t make it so.
He is MOCKING the ONE and only GOD. He is LIVING in blasphemy. And covering it up ONLY to some blind humans like you, with donations to make him LOOK like a good guy. He’s a DEMON.
Thanks for your thoughts, Rebecca. The thing I try to remember is this statement from one of the four original-source biographies of Jesus:
“God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. Whoever puts his trust in God’s Son will not be lost but will have life that lasts forever.”
Rebecca, that means that despite what you or I think, God LOVES Bill Gates (after all, Bill is God’s creation) as much as He loves you and me. And God offers Bill the same gift He offered to you and me: Jesus. That offer is NEVER off the table; all Bill has to do is accept it. 🙂