Why do fundamentalist Christians insist that they know they are going to heaven?

That is the basis of their belief. BTW, how do you know what god likes? He's too busy running the universe to notice a few literate apes on a little blue planet.

They have convinced themselves that Christianity is the truth. I know, I've been a Christian myself, now I'm an Atheist. Its very hard to convince people to think differently when they are used to believing in a certain way, especially when they believe and think its their deity that guides them in life and that their religion is the truth. The belief in "God" might just be the biggest scam of all.

Think about it, the idea of who and what God is have come from people who have lived before you. They have thought, pondered and written their conclusions in books, in the bible, and passed on their ideas. Its what I've realised and what discouraged me from Christianity, I want to think for myself and not take on man made ideas such as religion as the truth. In the end they are just hoping its right, that's why they insist. And when you think about it, no one has the truth of what this life is.

They may not be as sure as you think they are. For some fundamentalist groups it is even pretty unlikely to go to heaven.

They believe only those who have seen the spirit of God during their lives will go there. How many of us have that kind of experience...

By the way, you make a fundamentalist non-fundamentalist statement in claiming that you are more holy then others. Better leave that to God to judge.

It's not just fundamentalist Christians. I am by no means a fundamentalist, but I actually have, on occasion, had to "insist that [I] know [I am] going to heaven".

Christians believe that if you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour, and confess your sins to him (for forgiveness), then you will go to Heaven to be with Him. Easy as that!

I am a different denomination than my husband, and when we were going to 'marriage classes/counselling' before getting married (from his church, not mine), the Elder in his church told me that he didn't think I was 'saved', and that 'I was going to Hell, and would bring my future husband with me'.

I believe that I am 'saved', and I think that it's answers like his that cause all the strife. (My husband and I almost didn't get married because of this 'counselling'.)

Anyhow, it's not being boastful to say that you know you're going to Heaven. If you accept, confess, and believe, then you can 'know' too, rather than just 'hope'! :) It doens't matter what denomination of Christian you are - Catholic, Pentecostal, Baptist, Presbyterian, etc! :)

Because they are weak, vulnerable and afraid of death. By inventing "heaven" and really believing it allows the christians to feel less scared about death,if they feel they are going to a better place.

If you are talking about President Bullshit and Pat Robertson, then the answer is that they are hypocrites, and please God, they will end in hell. If the question is otherwise, then the answer is that fundamentalists of every religion basically believe ther are going to heaven, unless they did something they think, but not sure, was right. Then they are afraid, maybe it was wrong.

Each religion claims that the followers of other religions are going to hell, and only the virtuous form that special religion are going to heaven.

I say they are all wrong, nobody is going anywhere, hell and heaven are myths.

I know where I stand with God and I hope you do too. I do not think that is presumptious to think and to know when I leave this body I will go to my Fathers house which he has promised me. God is not one which should lie. You must question your relationship with Him if you do not know for sure.

The Bible seems to teach that we can know. However it does say that some will be in for a rude awakening.

you have made a good statement..

god does not like boastful people. and its well explained in many many parts of the bible.

but you must also understand, we people of this earth take only things that suites us, the rest we discard, that is why we fail to understand any religion.....