- [Terry] This is Susan whosays, "I'm from South Africa.

"Recently, I've receivedtwo emails claiming

"that celebrating Christmas,

"and also displaying a Christmas tree,

"is a pagan traditionthat does not please God.

"What are your views on this subject?

"We celebrate the birth of Jesus

"and put up a tree for the grandchildren.

"God bless you and your ministry

"as you share God's love."

- You know, the CatholicChurch was very skillful

when they'd go into, Ican use the pagan culture,

they would Christianize the cultures.

That's what they would do,

and it, you know, was very interesting.

All that business about Yule log,

Christian Christmastrees, mistletoe, holly,

and all that came out of aculture that wasn't Christian,

but it's been Christianizedby the Catholic Church,

and so now we have them ascustoms for our Christmas,

and there's nothing wrong with it,

I mean, if that's what you want to do,

but just remember that Christmas

is about the birth of Jesus.

We're not even sure that Hewas born on December the 25th;

that's something else that was set up

by the Catholic Church along the way,

but the question is,what are we worshiping?

We're worshiping Jesus.

We're worshiping the fact thatthere was an angel that came

in the shepherds' field to announce

the birth of a Saviorwho's Christ the Lord.

That's what it's all about,

and all this other stuff isstrictly window dressing,

and if it makes you happy andyou have a Christmas tree,

well, God bless you, just keep in mind

that the season's about Jesus,

but the Lord certainlyisn't gonna kick you out

of the church because youhave a Christmas tree.

Don't sweat it, okay?

- This is Juanita who says,"Pat, I would like to know

"what has happened to thepeople who never had a chance

"to hear God's Word and make the decision

"to accept Him as Savior?

"People from places wheremissionaries have never been,

"where there's no accessto the outside world,

"internet, TV, or radio.

"When they died, did they go to hell?

"I've been asked: if God is a God of love,

"how can this be fair to those people

"who've not heard and were sent to hell?"

- I heard once about a man who made idols

and he carved idols and he began to think:

look, these idols are abunch of wood and stone

and people are worshiping;

they're not God because I made 'em.

But he said, who I'm gonna worship

is the God who made my hand.

Everybody, the Biblesays, is without excuse

because God has revealed Himself to them.

There's something in the human spirit

that cries out for God,

and I don't care whetherthey're bush natives

out in the, you know,they'll see the sun coming up

and they'll see the wonder of life.

They'll see birth, they'll see death,

they'll see all these things,

and God has given themthat much revelation,

and if they are true tothe revelation they have,

then that's what God's gonna judge.

It is action in light of privilege.

If you have been taughtin a Christian environment

and you've learned all about the Gospel,

then that's gonna be your standard.

If you were brought up a Jew

and you've learned the 10 Commandments

and you learned the Jewish tradition,

that's gonna be your standard,

but it is action in light of privilege

that God's gonna judge, all right?

- This is Santa Cruz who says,"I'm a millennial Christian

"and I have no ideawhat politics is about.

"I don't know what aRepublican or Democrat is

"or what they believe in.

"What do Christians believewhen it comes to politics?

"I also never hear my churchfamily talk about politics,

"and I have no guidance about government

"from anyone except TV.

"Where do I go to become educated

"about Christian government views?"

- Well, there're all kinds of books,

for heaven's sakes, about this.

I mean, you can, you know, nothing else,

get a copy of the Constitution,

the Declaration ofIndependence and read it.

You know, these arefoundational documents,

and there's so much history.

Get any kind of a historybook about America

and you can learn these things.

But, in a sense, thegovernment of the United States

was based on Biblical principles.

The Bible was the book

that guided the founders of this nation,

and they tried to set up a republic

in keeping with biblical standards,

so if you want to learn aboutgovernment, read the Bible.

It's in there, very clearly.

How do you learn about it?

Well, in a sense, God'll show you,

but that's, there's somany books, so many papers,

so many, you don't have to be watching TV

or have your churchpreaching to you, all right?

- This is Gladys whosays, "People keep saying

"our loved ones are watchingand protecting us from Heaven.

"Can they hear and seeus when we talk to them?"

- I don't think so.

I don't think the idea of familiar spirits

of ancestors lookingdown over and all that.

You know, those who are in hell

are aware of what goes on, in a sense,

there's the rich mansaid to Father Abraham,

I've got relatives downthere, can I do something?

And he said, "You've gotMoses and the prophets.

"If they won't believe them,

"they won't believe thatsomebody rose from the dead."

I don't believe that theidea of your ancestors

are looking after you orlooking overtop of you

and see what you're doing.

I don't think that's biblical.