Answers

Read thoughtful responses to a wide assortment of questions from Billy Graham’s My Answer column and other resources.

My sister makes fun of us for grieving the death of our pet dog, and it's causing anger and conflict between us. What can I say to her?

A couple of months ago we lost our pet cocker spaniel, who had been part of our family for over a dozen years. My sister repeatedly makes fun of us for taking it so hard (she's never had any pets), and it's causing a lot of anger and conflict between us. What can I say to her?

I guess no one's going to make it to Heaven, because I've never met anyone who is absolutely perfect, have you?

How many of the Ten Commandments do I have to keep in order to get into Heaven? I know I've broken some of them, but God surely doesn't expect us to be perfect, does He? If so, I guess no one's going to make it, because I've never met anyone who is absolutely perfect, have you?

I'd like to be a Christian but I know I could never be good enough. I guess people like me are just hopeless.

I'd like to be a Christian but I know I could never be good enough. I'm like that old saying you've probably heard: I can resist everything but temptation. I guess people like me are just hopeless.

What, in your opinion, is the greatest hindrance to the growth of Christianity today? Is it atheism, or is it some political system that has no use for God?

What, in your opinion, is the greatest hindrance to the growth of Christianity today? Is it atheism (which is what I tend to think), or is it some political system that has no use for God?

Our son will be home for the Christmas holidays, and he has let it be known that he doesn't believe in God like he used to.

Our son will be coming home from college for the Christmas holidays, and the last time he was here he let it be known that he didn't believe in God like he used to. We ended up in a big argument because we couldn't answer his questions, but we don't want that to happen again.

Shouldn't we have purer motives for our giving than getting a big deduction on our income tax?

I was surprised the other day when our church treasurer urged people to be as generous as possible before the end of the year, and the only reason he gave was so we'd get a big deduction on our income tax. Shouldn't we have purer motives than this for our giving?

It seems to me that God ought to let everyone into heaven if He truly loves us.

If God is a loving God, how can He send anyone to hell? It seems to me that He ought to let everyone into heaven if He truly loves us. I honestly hope it's like that, because I haven't been a very good person (I'm in prison right now), and I don't like thinking about hell.

My fiancé says that when we get married he'll be happy and he'll stop using drugs. Should I believe him?

I just discovered that my fiancé has a drug problem. He says he got into drugs because he was bored and unhappy, but he says I shouldn't worry because when we get married he'll be happy and he won't have any reason to use drugs. Should I believe him?

I read about some missionaries in a foreign country who were captured by some rebels and beaten. Why would they put themselves in such a dangerous place?

Recently, I read about some missionaries in a foreign country who were captured by some rebels there and then beaten and left for dead. Why would they put themselves in such a dangerous place?

I've prayed and prayed for God to heal me, but nothing happens. Why won't God answer?

In recent months, I've had a real problem with arthritis, and some days I can hardly get out of bed. My doctor tells me I need to get on some kind of medicine but I don't want to do that. I've prayed and prayed for God to heal me, but nothing happens. Why won't God answer?

What do you think is the greatest need in our churches today? Do you think it's better preaching, new styles of worship, more youth work, or what?

What do you think is the greatest need in our churches today? Do you think it's better preaching, new styles of worship, more youth work, or what? I'm on the board of our church, and we've been debating this recently.

I'm in jail right now, and I've seen several guys supposedly get religion here, but they admit privately that the only reason they're doing it is to impress the parole board.

I don't have any use for hypocrites. I'm in jail right now, and I've seen several guys supposedly get religion here, but they admit privately that the only reason they're doing it is to impress the parole board. They're just phonies.