@BibleAlsoSays In case you missed this, I wrote it in part for you. Here's a blog from the Huffington Post that clearly makes my point about atheism http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deepak-chopra/irrational-atheists-on-th_b_844454.html I also note once again (this is so common among non-Christians) that the writer (Chopra) focuses on the "religion" aspect of Christianity, which is for the most part "false religion."

Many if not most of the denominational Christian churches have taken the liberty of proclaiming "doctrine" which is not theologically correct based on the Bible. Chopra invokes "hell-less" Christianity, which is a prime example. The Bible warns that people who attemt to change the Bible for their own purposes will suffer greatly (Rev22.18-19)

Christ came to earth in order to "save" people from certain hell. The doctrine of hell is not difficult to understand (if people would just speak it clearly). Here it is:

1. God is perfect & eternal; the First Cause of everything

2. God made man perfect to live in a perfect place forever with Him. God didn't make man "god" but He did make man exactly "like" Himself and with a free will; He just didn't make man "God."

3. God is holy; everything in His Presence MUST be perfect. God gave man a free will (like His own) and man, who was not "perfect God" chose not to be perfect but to serve his own will and not obey God.

4. Whatever is not perfect in God's heavenly Presence (not on earth but in heaven) His holiness will "purify." If an immortal human soul is imperfect & in the Presence of Holy God then the imperfect human soul will burn forever. Imperfect souls aren't made perfect by burning, but only by a "change of mind" about God.

5. God made man to be "very good" with a free will. God will not take back the "very good" "free will" He gave man even if that man turns against God & rejects His Savior and saving grace, which is Christ's atonement.

6. So man can choose to go his own way, reject Christ & burn eternally outside of God's protection and fellowship. Man chooses to reject God for any number of reasons. They all boil down to "pride."

7. Man can also simply surrender his will & pride by acknowledging he is imperfect and does sinful (self-indulgent) behaviors which are harmful to himself and others. When man repents of his bad behavior and asks Christ to save him God does the supernatural miracle of "salvation."

8. The miracle God works in a repentant person is sending His Holy Spirit to live inside that person forever. This has been God's plan from the beginning. Man is not complete without God's Spirit living inside Him. Man is meant to be "One with God." When that happens our sin's are "paid by Christ" via His atoning work on the cross.

9. The Holy Spirit living inside us is perfect and God "counts Christ's atonement" as "righteousness to us." So He knows the evidence of the Holy Spirit living inside a person makes that person fit for relationship with Him.

10. If a person rejects Christ's atonement then that person is sentencing himself to eternity outside of a relationship with God. Living outside of God's salvation & Oneness is known as "hell." Hell is a special place that is actually in God's Presence (God is "omnipresent") but separated from "heaven" where God's people live with Him until Christ's 2nd Advent. People in hell will suffer for the imperfections in their souls, which will never cease burning for eternity. A commitment to repent and a desire to follow Christ is only made in the flesh during this earthly life. After we die it is too late.

Without hell there is no need for a Savior. All the Bible and Christ's death on the cross would be in vain if hell was not a reality. Christianity is not Christianity without the reality of hell. And now we KNOW hell is real these days too, via scientific evidence.

Near-death experiences have been proven by professional scientific studies. Yes, atheist attack-dog skeptics have attempted to dismiss them, but their dismissals are non-academic and merely ad hominem attacks. No peer-reviewed scientific study has ever demonstrated Near-Death Experiences ("NDEs") as being false.

NDEs have consistently demonstrated the existence of "Hell NDEs" as well as Heaven NDEs. Of course Christians believe these things without this kind of hard scientific proof. But for those who aren't Christians, this is something an intelligent person must consider and ignore at their own eternal peril. I believe God allows these "hell NDE's" so that unbelievers can learn about them, repent and ask God to save them from certain hell.

So the doctrine of hell is necessary, easy to understand and certain. Ignoring the hell realities is a ticket to go there.

Chopra's comments on New Atheism are right on target. New Atheism is merely a venue to attack Christianity.

His comments on "religion" are somewhat accurate given the context of "religion." But God insists in the Bible that He is NOT a God of religion but of personal relationship. And that is what Christians know is true. When Christ intervenes in the life of a repentant sinner, He starts a relationship with that person which changes everything in the life of that individual. Oh, many do stray from Him, but most don't stray long. True salvation experiences cause people to KNOW the reality of God's existence and His love for us.

For those who ardently pursue Him, the relationship becomes the most real and important in life.

God's reality is known only in personal relationship with Christ. "Without Him we can do nothing." (John15.5) But "we can do all things through Christ who gives us (His) strength." (Php4.13)

If a person does not have a personal relationship with Christ they are still in their "fallen" unregenerate sin nature and can know NOTHING about God empirically or philosophically. The Bible can only be interpreted by the Holy Spirit living in the body of the Christian. Otherwise every word from unregenerate humans is simply guessing and inventing.

If you want to know God is real, accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. His is the only way you can know for sure God is real.

Just say:

"Lord Jesus please forgive me of my sins and help me surrender my life to you."

That's all you need to do, and that's nothing but a plea for help. No work involved. It does require a person to STOP WORKING. The work to be stopped is to stop rejecting Christ. Surrender is the cessation of hostilities. Let God take over the heavy work of this life.

Jesus said, "Come to me all you who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am humble and gentle in spirit and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Mt11.28-31)

If you do that you will know the truth and you will know complete freedom and "rest for your soul." If you don't you'll be enslaved in the life you are in now; and in the next life forever.

People become mentally ill after they've rejected Christ for long periods of time. They become unable to repent (2Thes2.10-12; 2Cor4.4; Rom1.18-32) After this life those who reject Christ will see that they were always in hell; in this life and in the next. It is always YOUR CHOICE.

Choose Jesus; He never fails.

His grace & peace.

@melsite1 @Daggy1 @RelUnrelated @Drudge_Report

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