In light of this I’d like to try to answer Lucas’ questions:
Before even exploring religion, the natural order and beauty of the visible world (such as the awesomeness of unspoiled scenery, the intricacy of newborn babies) suggests to many the existence of some kind of creating-being, and it is only logical that a creator knows what he/she/it has created (and that he/she/it also loves this creation – we know this from our human experience of making/producing things). People also experience God speaking and acting in their lives, guiding, comforting and strengthening, and Christians experience this more and more through the Bible, as they get to know more of Jesus, God’s son, who said “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14 verse 9).

Jesus is a true historical figure – he really existed – and C S Lewis says we have to decide whether we think he was telling the truth or whether he was a lunatic. The books of the Bible have been around for a long time in the same form (modern versions are translated from old Hebrew & Greek versions, rather than being “updated” from the last translation). Scholars estimate Mark’s gospel – one of the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life – to have been written ~64AD, which is pretty close to the time Jesus was actually around (and therefore more reliable – if it was nonsense people would have been around who remembered and would presumably have suppressed it). The Old Testament has been around much longer – Jews around the time of Jesus (including Jesus himself) read it – and there are lots of references in it which point to the coming of a Saviour/Messiah figure, a descendent of King David. These prophecies (throughout Psalms, books of the prophets etc. – a quick internet search will bring up many) are fulfilled in Jesus, whom we know from the New Testament accounts came from the line of David (see genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3), who suffered and was rejected (see any of the gospel accounts!) etc.

To answer your final question – life as we know it would be pretty awful if we had to endure it for eternity – but this isn’t the life that Jesus promises. Revelation 21 (for example) tells us of the new heaven and new earth that God will create – and how much better this new life will be than the life we know now! “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (verses 3-4) And this amazing new and everlasting life is available to everyone as soon as we accept Jesus.

I have great sympathy for you and the situation you find yourself in. I have even greater empathy for those you are leaving behind as I lost both my parents to cancer.

However I believe you are delusional.

While you and others may well think I am disrespectful I only seek open and honest discussion.

My first question is how do you know there is even a God, let alone one who even knows of your existence? Assuming there is a God, how do you know the Christian God is the right on? Maybe somewhere along the line the people writing the Bible you like to quote lied, and, like a snowball rolling down a mountain, it got bigger and bigger over time.

My final question is, does life ever after appeal to you? Frankly I can’t stand the thought of it. My personal belief, for which I have no proof, is that, like all matter and energy, the parts that make up our bodies and souls are broken up and reused by other life and systems in the universe. I like the simple elegant nature of this idea and how we can see it happening all around us ever day.

I hope you are kept comfortable and you, and any others, see this not as an attack but as an opportunity for discussion.

Lucas

I’m going to miss you loads -but I know I’m going to see you in heaven! I can’t wait to see you Chris, and I thank God so much that Jesus Chris defeated death on the cross, and so we have nothing to fear.

Your a true inspiration to me, you have touched my heart in so many ways. Seeing you go today just before your 20th birthday- has made me see, that as you said in your letter, you never lived the life that Jesus lived, and so I’m going to live your life and my life in one! I’m going to try to make up for your life, by telling loads of people about Jesus, and just praying that God would save many many people.

I love you Chris – God bless you, and cant wait to see you in heaven.

George

I look forward all the more to the day when we will be reunited in the Lord’s presence to enjoy Him and adore Him forevermore.

Death is the last enemy and Jesus has defeated it. In Christ we are victorious.

Thank you for being my wonderful friend, I will miss you.

All my love,
Becky xxx

Thank you.

Big Love

Danny Challis

Im doing a 22 mile swim to raise money for The Christie after being inspired by Chris. If you are interested in finding out more you can look on the facebook group ‘Katie swims 22 miles for Leukaemia’ and you can ask me anything on there!
If you would like to sponsor me for this challenge, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/Katie-Bailey Thanks, x