Chapter 36: An African Mother
Let’s say you’re an African mother living in the jungle in the year 1694. You’ve been with your man 17 years and have 4 children. You work hard and are 48 years old. Not easy raising 4 children and a sometimes childish husband in this sweltering hot environment. All in all, life is good for you, and you laugh much more than you cry. One day, some white folks come into your village who are missionaries. They seem like nice people who have great food and smile a lot. They begin explaining about some man named Jesus who lived thousands of years ago. Not only that, but they tell you he walked on water, the blind could see, the deaf could hear, the paralyzed could walk, he raised the dead. After he was hung on a cross to die, he raised himself 3 days later. You’re thinking, what? Now, these well-meaning folks tell you he died for your sins, and you must believe this, or you’re going to eternal hell. You ask, “What is sin?” They tell you. “What is hell?” They tell you. You go to bed that night thinking what? This whole stuff sounds pretty “out there” to you. Who on earth came up with all this?
You’ve lived a hard life but a good one. You have no enemies, many friends, loving children and a good hardworking and caring man. Why on earth did these people tell you about this Jesus person? You’ve made some mistakes, but you’ve been informed these are sins. You asked what this sin stuff is about, and they informed you that you’ve sinned against God. Furthermore, you asked, “What’s God?” They tell you God made you. You had thought all this time that your parents had made you. Now this God who you have never seen is furious with you and is going to send you to a place of unending pain and misery. Forever. However, you’ve been told some good news. All you have to do is believe in Jesus, who died for the sin you didn’t know you had done. So, now you’re thinking, this God sent his only son to earth and commanded him to endure torture, suffering, and death? You don’t want anything to do with any of this nonsense. You had even begun to feel guilty about mistakes you were informed were sins. Not only that, but you had never felt guilty before and certainly don’t appreciate the feeling. You truly like these white people and are a good judge of character. Furthermore, you never lie and always tell the truth. The missionaries ask you if you believe in Jesus. You tell them you’d rather not, as you were doing better before thinking about their so-called truths. They left. Years later, you reach a nice old age of 94 and die in your sleep. Where are you now? Atheists will say “in the dirt”. Born again Christians, “Eternal Hell.” I certainly feel the atheists have a much better response. There’s a 3rd most glorious answer, “Enjoying the magnificent perfection and love of Heaven, Forever.”
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