Answers

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

How bad does someone have to be before there isn't any hope for them?

I know from your column that people sometimes write you asking how good a person has to be before they can get into heaven. But what about the opposite case? How bad does someone have to be before there isn't any hope for them?

Do you think someday we won't need missionaries or evangelists, because their work will be done by things like television and the Internet?

Do you think the day will ever come when we won't need missionaries or evangelists anymore, because their work will be done by things like television and the Internet? I guess I'm kind of "tech crazy," but it looks to me like technology now makes it possible to preach the Gospel everywhere.

Which do you think was worse for Jesus, His physical suffering or His emotional and mental suffering?

I know you won't get this until after Easter, but which do you think was worse for Jesus, His physical suffering or His emotional and mental suffering? I tend to think the latter, because rejection is a terrible thing to bear, and He must have been very hurt when everyone turned against Him.

A friend of mine who isn't married is having a baby, and I don't know how to react. What is your recommendation?

I found out the other day that a friend of mine who isn't married is having a baby in a few months. My problem is, I don't know how to react to this, because as a Christian I don't agree with what she's done. I hate to cut her off, however. What is your recommendation?

I know I shouldn't fear death now that I'm a Christian, but I do. Am I always going to be like this?

I know I shouldn't fear death now that I'm a Christian, but I do. I've always been very fearful of death, maybe because several people who were close to me died when I was a child. I thought this would change once I committed my life to Jesus, but it hasn't. Am I always going to be like this?

Do you have to put your brains on the shelf and commit intellectual suicide if you become a Christian?

Do you have to put your brains on the shelf and commit intellectual suicide if you become a Christian? I'm in college, and that seems to be the way most people here feel about Christianity. I'm probably not what you'd call a real Christian, but I'm not ready to throw the whole thing overboard.

I know we're supposed to try to help others as Christians, but I'm in a wheelchair and can't get out very much. Will God understand this?

I know we're supposed to try to help others as Christians, but I'm in a wheelchair and can't get out very much, and it's all I can do just to take care of myself. Will God understand this, or does He still expect me to do things for others, like the Bible says?

A friend of mine says that Jesus didn't really die on the cross, but He was just drugged. Is it possible he's right?

A friend of mine says that Jesus didn't really die on the cross, but He was just drugged to make it look like He was dead. Then He recovered in the coolness of the tomb and went on to live in secret with His disciples. I know this isn't the traditional view, but is it possible he's right?

I heard you say on television that if you died that night, you knew you'd go to heaven. How can you be so sure?

I heard you say on television that if you died that night, you knew you'd go to heaven. How can you be so sure? I wish I could say that, but I can't. I'm not good enough.

Our teenager tells us we're out of touch because no one his age pays attention to Jesus.

Our teenager asked us the other day who we thought is more influential—Jesus or the latest pop star. We told him Jesus, but he said we're just out of touch because almost no one his age pays attention to Jesus. Is he right?

Why should people care what someone does with their private life, as long as they treat people right and help out those in need?

Why should people care what someone does with their private life, as long as they treat people right and help out those in need? I don't think a person's private life is anyone else's business, frankly.

My mother has become very irrational, but my father won't take her to the doctor. Is there anything I can do?

My brother and I are very worried about our parents, and we don't know what to do. They're getting up in years, and in recent months Mother has become very difficult and irrational (which isn't like her at all). But Father won't take her to the doctor because he says she gets very angry at him if he even suggests it. Is there anything we can do?