[quoted lines by Karl Dahlke on January 5, 2003, at 17:22]
>It's ok to joke about the Gates of hell,
>because it's funny, a pun, get it, Bill Gates, ...
Of course I get the joke. That's not the point.
>and there's no such thing as hell anyways, so it *shouldn't* offend anybody.
The joke doesn't offend me at all. What it does do, however, is reveal the
lightness and ignorance with which most people are approaching their eternal
destinies. Hell is a very real place whether or not you declare the contrary.
You make your declaratoin based on no authority whatsoever whereas I make mine
based on no less than the very words of God Himself. As Romans 3:4 says, "let
God be true, but every man a liar". As Galatians 6:7 says, "Be not deceived;
God is not mocked".
>Now - it's silly to talk "candidly" about heaven and hell etc,
>because it shows the world that you still believe in ancient superstitions,
While it may show the whole world what I believe, it's not a superstition.
Belief in the salvation work of Jesus Christ is the only means by which anyone
can escape the gates of Hell which will most certainly swallow up anyone whose
sins haven't been forgiven by God. As Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one
that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.".
>and you insist on promulgating those beliefes to others.
I ask again: Why is it okay for others to so boldly promulgate their bias
whereas it's apparently not okay for me to make one small statement regarding
the truth?
>The latter tendency
>(the proselytizing, not the belief)
>is the cause of untold carnage and suffering on our planet.
>We've had quite enough of that.
I agree with you that there's been far too much carnage on this planet. It's
not due to the people of God, though, but, rather, to the sinfulness of man. A
lot of it has indeed been done in the name of God, but not by those who are
truly His people. Satan has planted a lot of imposters in an attempt to
discredit the true bearers of God's offer of salvation.
>It's the 21st century; time for you to let people believe whatever they want.
When did I ever try to tell anyone to believe anything other than what he/she
already blieves. I merely made one small statement which was in accord with
what I believe. Why are you so opposed to my right to do that, and why are you
so vehemently trying to tell me what I should be believing?
>And perhaps by the 23rd century people won't believe in all these
>silly gods any more.
Perhaps they will. There's plenty of Biblically-based evidence that we're now
in the very last few years of time. I rather doubt that we'll make it to the
23rd century, and that those who haven't found eternal rest in Christ will be
writhing in the eternal agonies of Hell by then. Now is the time to take this
issue seriously rather than to so foolishly scoff at it.
>I escaped from this nonsense; you can to.
No, I neither want to nor can escape from it. If God has truly saved a person
then he/she can't "fall away". As Philippeans 1:6 says, "Being confident of
this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform {it}
until the day of Jesus Christ:".
>www.eklhad.net/nonrel.html
http://mielke.cc/bible/
--
Dave Mielke | 2213 Fox Crescent | I believe that the Bible is the
Phone: 1-613-726-0014 | Ottawa, Ontario | Word of God. Please contact me
EMail: dave@mielke.cc | Canada K2A 1H7 | if you're concerned about Hell.
http://familyradio.com/ | http://mielke.cc/bible/