The Catholics have a concept called 'the baptism of desire' (or something like that -- I don't know the English term for it and this is a straight translation of the Dutch term) that covered just that possibility. The idea is that people who never heard of Jesus, but who lived good lives, would have wanted to be baptised and believe in Jesus when they would have heard of him. As such, they would be admitted to heaven through the 'baptism of desire'.
Note that this only applies to people who have never heard of Jesus -- if you heard of him but do not believe, you're condemned anyway.
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Date: 2005-12-20 04:16 pm (UTC)The idea is that people who never heard of Jesus, but who lived good lives, would have wanted to be baptised and believe in Jesus when they would have heard of him. As such, they would be admitted to heaven through the 'baptism of desire'.
Note that this only applies to people who have never heard of Jesus -- if you heard of him but do not believe, you're condemned anyway.