Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
I think I need to tell some of the people here what the context of "crutch" is in this instance. I would never call faith in God a crutch.
A crutch is something that substitutes for the real thing. Yes, you lean on a crutch, but that isn't the meaning insinuated when God is called a crutch. The blasphemer means that the believer conjured God up; that it's a coping mechanism. That would be a crutch.
Besides that, why pick on christianity? Mr Houdmann singled out christianity as if it's the only religion that features a deity. It's the only religion he mentioned.
Christianity has proof of its God. Jesus, the Son of Jehovah, revealed the Father to the world. He did it by signs and miracles, and by giving the world the words of the Father. He was a living, breathing witness of the truth. Then to top it all off, He was raised from being dead for three days. He was seen by a good number of people, and was watched as He ascended back to the Father.
It's not like we don't have any proof. No one has been able to disprove any of this truth.
Also, why waste time with Freud or Jesse Ventura, or Ted Turner, or any other guy who craves attention? If a person hasn't been quickened by God it's for a reason; that person might not be chosen to know the Lord. Jesus said, 'All the Father gives Me will come to Me.' So that tells you right there. They haven't been chosen by the Father to come to Jesus. They die in their sins and their souls are destroyed by fire. End of story.
Danny Hickman
God doesn't need revenge for these nobodies saying He doesn't exist. God doesn't need revenge for caring for them, even making some of them rich and famous, and them blaspheming Him. Jesus' followers seem to want them to have to pay for the rest of eternity for being spiritually blind. That's not how God operates.
The wages of sin is death. If the penalty for carrying a sin debt into eternity is eternal torment in a fiery lake, then if Jesus paid the debt He would need to spend eternity in the lake of fire.
That isn't the payment for sin. The payment is death, and Jesus died for us.
The eternal torture chamber story gives blasphemers more rope with which to hang themselves. But make no mistake about it; nobody can come to Jesus except the Father draws them.
I didn't make that up, it's in the word of God. If He doesn't draw them they are doomed for destruction. God does as He pleases. Jesus told His disciples, 'You didn't choose Me, I chose you.' Maybe He didn't choose Freud, or Ted Turner, or that wrestler elected governor... or maybe He did... who knows? God knows our heart. It is He who has made us, not we ourselves. Some are made for honor, some for dishonor. Read it, it's in the bible.
God is too big to get down on our level and get revenge. Like David said, "Let him curse." But then at his death, He told Solomon to get revenge for that man cursing him.... God doesn't do that.