[Independent Christian]

Hi, Floyd;

I don't know what "reasonable proof" of the existence of hell you're looking for, since--assuming it's a valid place--anyone who enters there doesn't have the option of coming back to warn everyone. And if someone did have that option, everyone would assume he was hallucinating as part of some NDE (Near Death Experience).

I don't know that I consider the Bible to be infallible, so I can't argue on those grounds with absolute certainty. If that's what you're looking for before reconsidering the viewpoints you espouse, then I won't be able to make you think any further.

However, I do believe the Bible has an inherently correct spiritual message (as you seem to as well, at least pertaining to doing good deeds and such). I also have--thru fairly extensive research--determined it to be a book possessing considerable historical backing as well. Perfect? Again, no. But if that's the standard, I'm afraid many, many books--including those written much more recently than the Bible--are going to fall short of such a stringent standard.

I'm assuming here--maybe you're not so stringent as I'm assuming. I'm only stating this as a way of cutting to the chase again.

Having said that, my argument wasn't "for hell," but rather "For Jesus" as who the Bible declares him to be, which is the Son of God.

In that book, (as you may well know) Jesus declares himself to both be in submission to God as well as equated to God (ah, the admittedly difficult concept of the Trinity). I bring this up, though, because he did take "credit" as being divine. In fact, he wasn't crucified for any wrong doings, unlike the thieves beside him, but instead for blasphemy--for claiming deity.

He also said "no one can come to the Father but thru me." There were other similar verses I don't recall the exact verbiage on. Basically, he says you can try and get there thru your own efforts (as you posted recently above, I noticed) or rely on him to have done the work for you.

What about those who never really had a legit chance to listen to and accept the message of salvation thru Christ's death and resurrection? I am not certain, but based on the love I believe God exhibits thru the death of Jesus and other scriptures, I believe his grace reigns in those situations. I just know I am responsible for making my decision to accept or reject his gift of salvation.

It's a "strange" whole set of circumstances, this deal about Jesus. But, like many others in the past who have tried to discredit it but become believers, I've come to do so more over time.