What have good people done to deserve Hell?

“Tell them as surely as I, the Sovereign Lord, am the living God, I do not enjoy seeing a sinner die. I would rather see him stop sinning and live” Ezekiel 33:11

Easy, Christians say. They haven’t accepted Christ as their Savior, therefore they deserve death. It’s easy to say it. But what if it happens to someone you knew, well aware that that person had given so much of his/her life to humanity: saving, serving, healing, caring, loving, educating, making people happy, and inspiring people with hope. In other words, they made the world a better place for us and for future generations. What a great and amazing person! This guy has lived his life to the full. He has done it all. He surely deserves the best.

Wait a second.

This person isn’t a believer because he has seen what religion does to people: narrows their vision, prevents them from thinking outside the box, and alienates them from their fellow human beings. What if this person wanted to be free from insularity, closed-mindedness, and detachment from human and scientific progress? Now, can we rightfully say that he/she was a bad person because he/she didn’t believe in the God you believe in?

Let’s get to the heart of the problem: Why doesn’t such a good person believe in God?

You could say that he wanted to exercise free thinking. Maybe he was disgusted by the countless pedophile cases brought against priests. Maybe he was disgusted by divisions in the Church. Maybe he was disgusted by the way Christians look at people who are ‘different’ from them in color, race, language, belief or lifestyle. The list is longer than you might think. The bottom line is that he/she stopped believing in God a long time ago mainly because of the image the Church radiates today.

A devoted Jewish family, whose father was a prosperous businessman, suddenly one Sunday morning decides to go to the Lutheran Church. His little boy asks him, “But why father? Why do we have to go to church today? Aren’t we Jews?” The father replies, “It’s good for business, son”. This little boy grew up declaring openly his disgust with religion. He was the one who said “Religion is the opium of the people”. Yes, he was Karl Marx! Who can say Karl Marx wasn’t a good guy? He had immense influence on philosophy, economy, politics and literature. But, yes, according to Christians he deserves Hell. Why?

He had plenty of time to believe in God, yet he didn’t. The question is: What are we doing to attract people to God?

St. Teresa of Avila writes, “Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours.” Indeed, as Christians we have work to do. We can’t just sit around complaining that people are leaving Christianity behind. We must be God’s true Church on earth.

People have personal, familial, societal frustrations and conflicts. They face daily economic, moral, sexual and psychological challenges. People have valid dilemmas that deserve the Church’s attention. Hearing the pastor preach about abortion, unemployment, adultery, cheating, homosexuality, drug abuse, pornography, Internet addiction, in-law frictions and other daily problems and issues people want to know about will get people closer to Christ! Many questions lie in people’s minds and it is the Church’s duty to answer them. We must have our say in this world. That is Jesus’ last and greatest Commission to the Church.

Indeed, Christ does not wish for people to be lost. He is happy when people serve humankind. After all people like Karl Marx have served humanity, Christ’s own creation. How sad do you get when you lose people you love, especially knowing that they hadn’t accepted Christ as their savior? I’m sure you must feel devastated. God gets even sadder than you. He feels pain more than you can ever imagine! He repeatedly tells us in the Bible how He doesn’t want people to “perish but to have everlasting life”. Timothy tells us, “It pleases God our Savior who wants everyone to be saved and to come to know the truth,” 1 Timothy 2:3-4.

This is not an invitation for the Church to change its values, absolutely not! On the contrary, the Church must talk boldly about today’s issues so that people get their questions answered. And this is how the Church will have a greater impact on peoples’ lives. This is why we are here for: to change people from deep inside so they can come to know Jesus and His wonderful message of salvation.

Next time you hear of a person’s death, don’t say “What a shame he died”. Rather say “What a shame, he could have been a Man/Woman of God”. In today’s troubled world, people need healing. People may seem happy on the outside, but the majority need healing from the inside. And it’s our duty as Christians to help them get that healing with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Be the light that will shine through humanity. Don’t just be a good person but a someone who will serve God no matter the cost. Remember, “The Lord does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins,” 2 Peter 3:9.

Vahé Jébéjian

Worship Service for the Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide

On Tuesday, 24 April, the worship service for the commemoration of the 97-anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, took place in the Nor-Marash Armenian Evangelical Church.

Mr. Levon Filian, the Executive Director of AMAA, brought the message. Rev. H. Svajian led the worship, Badveli H. Cholakian read from the Bible, Rev. S. Kilaghbian recited the prayer, and Rev. M. Karagoezian gave the benediction.

The choir of the Nor-Marash Armenian Evangelical Church sang two hymns, accompanied by Mrs. Y. Kilaghbian, on the piano.


"I resemble the Armenians living in Turkey to the Turks living in Germany" says Elvan Kivilcim

"I resemble the Armenians living in Turkey to the Turks living in Germany" says Elvan Kivilcim.
The director Elvan Kivilcim, 'Illegal Armenian Workers' struggle for survival brings to the screen in a documentary.

Below is an article that was translated through google, which is not an accurate translation, however a reader will get an idea of the content. The article belongs to Radikal, the Turkish newspaper.


The groud floor school where Armenians get education is none other than the Gedikpasha Armenian Evangelical Church, whose pastor is Rev. Krikor AghabalOghlu.

Per capita monthly income is $ 48 Armenia 'in hopes of winning money from Turkey to the living, stuck between the illegal Armenian workers say the story of homesick with this ... Director Elvan Spark, a working illegally Ermenistanlıyla Kumkapi met five years ago, in Istanbul in the Turkish speaking, on a fugitive thought to be suffering from Armenia and the like to be 'Illegal Armenian Workers' produced the documentary ...

Leakage has been difficult to convince Armenians from Armenia to talk ...
To prepare me for an intimate documentary is supposed to open their lives to me is over the wall of fear and insecurity. We work with the camera documentary written media communication tool is difficult. When you sit on one side of the camera sees can tell you everything, especially the illegal işçiyse, almost silent. I shared with people who wanted to discuss how we want to prepare a documentary. As a team, freedom, equality and fraternity-oriented world view and their culture, respect for identities have earned the trust of many.

For the shoot, the Armenian Church, Armenian children on the school you go to training.
Yes, I finished shooting Armenia, for example a single interviewed at home, during the few hours we spent there, noted with webcam shows us just laughed from beginning to end, and "What a good idea!" I said. I stood up with them during the church ceremony, I sat down with them, they filled my eyes are crying.

Turkey in Armenia is known to be working illegally to how many? Mainly what job are they doing?
Enunciated in the lower figure of 15 thousand, the highest of 100 thousand. Many of Armenia while in teachers, people working as a bookkeeper. Housekeeper and baby sitter's here, mostly women, men, a leather shop, shoe store, jeweler skilled / unskilled laborers. Sometimes alone, sometimes people come here with their families. During filming, I had the feeling's always been: Armenians from Armenia, such as we have been Germany's Türklerimiz.

The cost of living and working illegally in a country illegally summarize how?
Identity, health insurance, to be precarious, as the children remain uneducated and ...

Armenia is not here so that diplomatic relations with Armenia are deprived of the protection provided by their consulate. 
Yes, I do not have the money can not get drugs, are unable to go to the hospital. For many years the only place where children can receive education activities on the ground floor of a church school. A short time ago, Turkey 's government of Armenia citizen children in Turkey in the Armenian community has no legal regulation that allows schools to take up training. However, many families still prefer to send their children to school is the unofficial church.

Why is ice at all times of diplomatic relations with Turkey 't prefer it?
Geographical proximity and Turkey for reasons such as economic viability ... And of course there is an Armenian community, all of them despite the difficulties in Turkey to attract.

How are in the mood?
Sadness in your eyes, facial expression and voice tones, tells the homesick, the needs and the fact that the complex is full of all kinds of material and spiritual distress. Turkey , they are condoning illegal work and therefore are in the particular sense of gratitude towards the government. On the other yandaysa, where they come from a nation-state for the Armenians took place between the two countries is not the slightest problem, and justify their lives as a direct reflection of this anxiety are living every moment.