“If my religion is true, it will stand up to all my questioning; there is no need to fear. But if it is not true, if it is man imposing strictures on God (as did the men of the Christian establishment of Galileo’s day), then I want to be open to God, not to what man says about God.”

― Madeleine L'Engle, Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art

Once again we invited you to share your deepest questions, your most troublesome doubts, your most daring wonderings. During Lent, we’ll pool your thoughts, and use these to build the themes for the six worship services leading up to Easter Sunday

Here are the questions you've posed:

PRAYER

• Why are some prayers unanswered?
• Is there such thing as a proper way to pray - the hows? When? Where?
• Can we just talk to God just like a child to a parent, or like a friend to friend?
• What is the sign of the cross in praying for? 

EVIL

• Why is there evil in the world?
• What about Old Testament violence by the good guys?
• It appears that we live in a world where "cheaters and scumbags" matter;  Is the Lord on vacation?

HEAVEN AND HELL

• How should we view heaven and hell? Do they exist?
• Do we believe hell and purgatory exist? if so, who goes there?
• Aren't we all forgiven?

END TIMES

• Why was book of Revelation written? How should we view it?  
• Would be interested in your “take” on these scriptures and if you too see its predictions coming to pass.

JUDGEMENT DAY

• What is the judgement day? What is the Second Coming of Jesus? How should we view it? Should we be worried about it?
• What will happen to those who don’t believe in Jesus but have lived their lives with the same values as his? 

LOVING ENEMIES

• “Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh”. (1 Peter 2:18) Really?? If an authority belittles us, should we say, "thank you"? 

PROBLEM OF PAIN

• How should we view the pain of the world we live in and the ones we experience/experienced?
• Why do good people suffer?
• Why do bad things happen to good people?
• Paul encourages us to focus on the future and not the past I wonder why it is so hard to do.
• Why does God only help when the situation gets out of hand?