“Some of the best people I know aren't Christians, and in fact they aren't even religious. On the other hand, some of the most selfish people I know claim to be Christians. How do you explain this, if Christianity is supposed to make a difference in our lives?”
“Does anybody really believe in the devil anymore? You wrote something in your column recently that made me think you did, but I thought that kind of thinking went out with the Middle Ages.”
“My girlfriend just told me she’s pregnant. Would it be wrong for me to pray that she’ll be open to getting an abortion? She’s pressuring me to get married but I’m not ready for that.”
“I don't fear death like most people, because I firmly believe that when I die I'll come back to life again, maybe even on another planet. I think you ought to give reincarnation some thought.”
“Who wrote the Bible, and how can I know that it's true? I've kind of messed up my life, and I think maybe I need to find a new direction or something.”
“Our son just graduated from college, and since he can't find a job he's talking about going to graduate school. We don't really have the money for that, and anyway, we aren't convinced he knows what he wants to do with his life. What advice should we give him?”
“This summer, our church's youth group is going on a mission trip overseas for a couple of weeks. They'll be doing some construction work for a church there, but do trips like this honestly do any good? What can a bunch of unskilled teenagers do that the local people can't do for themselves?”
“My friend keeps sending me e-mails about what's happening in the world, and some of them are really scary. We seem to be headed downhill faster and faster — economically, socially, morally, you name it. I don't see much of anything good happening in our country, do you?”
“I went into a shop the other day and the owner started talking with me about her beliefs, which I found fascinating. She says she has the ability to communicate with spirits from centuries ago, and she's into all sorts of other things of a mystical nature. I'm interested in spirituality. Could this be what I've been looking for?”
“My wife and I have only been married a few years, and we love each other more than ever. But we read about people getting divorced after 20 or 30 years of marriage, and it worries us. What does it take to make a marriage last?”
“My husband retired a couple of years ago, and now all he does is worry about his health. He only has a few minor problems (like anyone his age) but all he can think about is how he might become disabled some day, and things like that. How can I change this? Or should I even try?”
“I know faith is important, but how much faith do you have to have in order to be saved and go to heaven when you die? I admit that sometimes I have a lot of faith, but other times my faith is pretty weak, and this worries me.”