'I am unconcerned about the importance of the whole issue'
And therefore you are unwilling to change your position.
You're joking! Aren't you? If there really is a creator in charge of this universe, who doesn't see you simply as Humanoid No. XY403/256A8, but as someone whom he loves and cares for in a unique way... And if he is offering to transform your life by adding a dimension of meaning, purpose and sheer joy tha you'll never find anywhere else... And if he result of neglecting ts offer is to face judgement and eternity alone... What issue could be more important?
I wonder why you don't see it as important. Perhaps it's because you're thinking, 'You can never know the truth of these things anyway. When all's said and done, you just have to believe. It's all really a matter of opinion.' But Christianity isn't about things that can't be proved. It's about being able to verify, here and now in your daily experience, that God is real and alive. Read through the New Testament. See how often Chrisitan writers use the word 'know' - not 'hope' or 'feel'! - with utter,calm confidence:
I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him...
We know that we are children of God... We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true.
If you hold to my teaching... you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
If this is true - that you can know for sure! - it is fantastic! If it is false, it is dangerous stupidity. Either way - it's important!
Or you may be thinking, 'I may not be religious, but I'm as good as anyone else. God will probably accept me anyway, assuming he exists.' If this is your idea, you must have skipped the topic 'A God of love could not let people go to Hell' - go back and have a look at it. The fact is God doesn't accept people on the basis of their perfect moral performance. He wants, not performance, but surrender. You can live a very impressive life, but if it's all lived in rebellion against him, keeping him obstinately out on the sidelines, why should he feel pleased with you?
It is analogous to relationships in the family. When the child misbehaves, the parent-child relationship is strained - and the parents hate it. They long for the child to say he's sorry and make friends again. It would not make the parents happy if he continued to live in the house with a barrier of hostility between them. He might be living a life of stupendous ethical quality on his side of the barrier, but the parents would get no joy out of that. What they would be longing for would be the chance to make friends again.
And God looks at us like that.
But perhaps you're thinking, 'This issue is unimportant because I want to live just one day at a time. I have enough problems here nd now, without worrying about an afterlife, heaven and hell. I'll deal with God, if there is a God, when I finally meet him face to face.'
However, the Bible insists, 'Now is the accepted time, now is the time of rescue.' It makes no promises about tomorrow. In fact, in several of the stories Jesus told, we are clearly warned that some people will leave it just too late. The time to sort it out is today.
You couldn't 'live just one day at a time' in any other area of life. Suppose you were driving along a mountain road when a policeman flagged you down and warned you were heading for a sheer drop. Would you really answer, 'I'll handle that problem when I come t it, thank you', and drive on? I doubt it.
Or suppose you were told that Ricky Martin (pretend you're a fan!!!) would be dropping in on you for tea the following afternoon. Would you simply mutter, 'I'll deal with that problem when I see him', and carry on as usual? Or would you run round in circles making preparations?
There are some future events you have to think about today. That's why we have insurance policies and pension schemes. That's why you book your holidays early, if you're wise, and do your Christmas shopping before Christmas Eve. And that's why you ought to consider leaving this webpage with a slightly different verdict!
(If this makes sense to you, and you do want to reconsider, click here and select a different option.)