If I had a nickel every time someone called me that after reading through the entire article in question, I’d still be penniless.

Michael: The hell of hell is the utter separation from God. Even in this fallen world, God’s hand is present. People who do not realize or cannot comprehend what this would mean (typically those who deny God), fail to understand the significance of a statement like, ’separation from God’–so many evangelicals choose to spout hell-fire and brimstone. I believe we’re all pre-wired spiritually to connect to God; hell will be like thirst without quench, itch without scratch, and pain without succor. Take the strongest emotion need or drive you have–it will never be satiated. For the media inclined, take the Barbosa scene from Pirates and multiply it by 10.

I agree with you to love is the most important thing - and I intend to continue to practice loving all people, and I’m glad that you did experience that love from sincere Christians. But, getting back to that original question - what I’m hearing as your answer to me is: “You CAN’T share your message in a loving way unless you compromise your belief in one element of that message - hell.” Does that sum up your answer? And why do I keep bringing this up - even though people are saying, “Hey - just get rid of that ‘hell’ thing from your message and maybe we’ll accpet you, respect you - let you in our club”? How about - it’s a conviction.. it’s what I clearly see as a reality to be reckoned with, not to be poo-pooed or taken lightly. You see, if it is true, then Jesus’ love is even more magnificant, because He gave His life to save us from an eternal separation from Him - not just to give us a little better life - here and now, or a shot in the arm. What love! What insight into our eternal souls. We were not (and, if we’re honest, ARE not) thinking of our eternal souls - but He WAS. The reason He did accept the torment of the cross was because it was the only way we could be saved from an eternity lost without Him, and, it would have been totally unnecessary for Him to go through such torment just to give us a little better life here and now. I’m getting more and more convinced that I must just accept being accused of being “unloving” to proclaim this message of God’s great love for us - because I believe this IS the message - Jesus is the only One who can save a soul from hell. I would not accept being mocked and persecuted if my message was, “Jesus can give you a little better life.” No way. Hey, self-help books can give you a better life. I mean, even David Lewis Edelman understands what the Book is saying and doesn’t twist it. He correctly states (I quote his paraphrase of the Gospel message) ’she’s [Ann Coulter] right that this is what the New Testament says [that Jews, along with all people, need to be 'perfected' by believing in Jesus]…(he continues), “…according to the book, God sent his kid down here to tell the whole world that humanity has messed up pretty seriously and we need a reboot, so pay attention…” David knows what the Book actually says. The reboot, according to the Book, is to believe in Him, and it IS that serious, according to the Book, that we will be eternally separated from Him if we don’t receive Him. God doesn’t send anyone to hell. We choose hell because we will not bow to Him and His way of escaping. And if this is true, or at least, if one BELIEVES this is true, then the most UNLOVING thing that one could do is to NOT present this loving Gospel and to warn people of the risk of an eternity without God. - Michael

P.S. David, it was because of your keen insight into what the Book is actually saying - even though you don’t believe it - that I was engaged in this conversation in the first place. And I do respect that you at least state what the Book says - which is better than most people (including more and more compromising Christians) who twist it to make nice with everybody. I only disagree with your comment that applying reason cancels out faith. If we’re not putting faith in the truth, then faith is quite unreasonable. But, if the Book is true, then the most reasonable thing to do is to believe in the truth rather than to reject it, or to believe in a lie. And many reasonable and intellectual people who set thier minds at first against the Bible and Christianity, even to prove it wrong, became believers in that process (see SURPRISED BY JOY, C.S. Lewis, EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT Josh McDowell, THE CASE FOR CHRIST Lee Strobel. I don’t see how any one could read any one of these books and at least stop foolishly thinking that those who have faith have divorced reason from their lives).