Questions for ChristiansQuestion for Christians
Response to comment [from other]: "Who do you believe poses the greatest threat to Christianity in today's world? Atheists or Catholics?"
Does it matter? Pride will lead a person straight to hell. God hates it (Mal 1:3). Pride is believing that you can live your life without God. Men avoid God by: indifference, rebellion, or denial. They replace the living and true God with some idol (e.g. sex, work, riches, etc.). For the atheist self is God; for the pious, religious folks religion may be their God. Satan works to get something--anything between a person and Jesus. When a person avoids the truth (Jesus is truth incarnate), they loose every time. The temperature of hell doesn't much matter.
Idolatry is insidious (self, religious affiliation, etc.). Mt 22:37. It is easy to reject God, exchanging truth for a lie (Ro 1:18-25). It is easy to play Christian (Catholic or Protestant), but never address sin (Jn 3:19). True believers seek Jesus with all their heart, soul and mind. It takes courage to challenge all that you believe. Most people never do (Mt 7:14).
I do not know if God prefers devils with their masks on or devils with their masks off (Enyart). Jesus took upon himself the cup of wrath that we deserved. Who was worse--Pilate? Judas? The religious leaders? The people? These same types sit next to us in Catholic and Protestant churches. There are intellectually honest atheists and agnostics, as there are intellectually honest Catholics and Protestants. But men can be honestly wrong. There is one way to heaven through trust in Jesus (Jn 14:6). Everyone (e.g. Hindu, pagan Buddhist, etc.) must bow the knee to Jesus (Ro 14:11). We can acknowledge Christ on this side of the grave as Lord or after death as Judge.
There are two types of thinkers: the Greek (the intellectual--or so he thinks) and the Jew (who stumbles by religion) [1 Cor 1:23]. Jews, Catholics and Muslims are monotheistic but work-based. All religions of the world are work-based except for Christianity which is faith-based in the person of Jesus.