Dilbert creator Scott Adams says he intends to become a Christian and is planning to be converted at some point before he passes away.
Adams, 68, was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and faces a grim diagnosis, documenting his health challenges as he continues to decline. He revealed in a Jan. 2 livestream:
“It’s all bad news. The odds of me recovering are essentially zero…. I’ll give you any updates if that changes, but it won’t.”
Faced with his likely demise, he told followers during a recent livestream:“I promise you that I will convert. But I probably won’t spend much time in that phase, so don’t expect it to happen today, OK?”
Adams previously suggested that he was an agnostic, and that while he has so far resisted attempts from his friends to convert him, “I also have respect for any Christian who goes out of their way to try to convert me, because how would I believe you believe your own religion if you’re not trying to convert me?”
As a result:
It is my plan to convert (to Christianity) I still have time, but my understanding is you’re never too late. And on top of that, any skepticism I have about reality would certainly be instantly answered if I wake up in heaven.
I do believe that the dominant Christian theory is that I would wake up in heaven if I have a good life. Yeah, I don’t necessarily have to…state something in advance.And so, to my Christian friends, yes, it’s coming.
So you don’t need to talk me into it. I am now convinced that the risk-reward is completely smart. If it turns out that there’s nothing there, I’ve lost nothing, but I’ve respected your wishes, and I like doing that. I f it turns out there is something there, and the Christian model is the closest to it, I win.
Cultural commentator Megan Basham said of Adams’ comments:
Scott is closer, but he still thinks of Christianity as hedging one’s bets, à la Pascal’s wager. But the thief on the cross did not say, “I’ll go with it as a just-in-case option.” He believed and called Christ Lord. Re-doubling my prayers for Scott.
…Scott still thinks Christianity=living a good life to get into heaven. But he’s clearly becoming more open to the Gospel. Praying the Lord puts some faithful Priscillas and Aquillas in his path who can explain scripture better.
During his Monday livestream, following his comments, Adams explained that while he appreciates the feedback and advice, “its not helping me to get medical or religious advice,”adding:
“On the religious stuff, I would like you to say that it’s a private relationship between me and Jesus. And I’d like to keep it that way.”
3 responses to “Dilbert Creator Scott Adams, Facing Terminal Cancer, Plans Deathbed Conversion to Christianity”
Sounds like he’s trying to outsmart his Creator.
“… if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” – Romans 10:9-10
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” – Matt. 7:21-23
“Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” – Matt. 4:7
Man cannot outsmart his Creator …
To say you’ll continue in sin and remain unrepentant as long as possible, and then to appeal to God’s grace right at the last minute, is to pervert the grace of God into a license to sin. And to say that it makes no difference when, now or later, is to either A) blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and to say there is no such thing as truly being born again, sanctified and justified, or B) to not truly want to be born again, justified and sanctified, but rather to want to remain and continue in sin for as long as possible.
I don’t know that it’s impossible for one to truly believe and be born again, at or near the last minute. But it seems to me it would be about on par with trying to fit a very large camel through a very tiny gate in the wall … and to use a bit of the same sort of reasoning as Pascal, even if it were just a matter of “converting” by mouth, without any believing in the heart, it would still be fairly stupid to take such a risk just for what is an infinitely tiny blip of time in comparison to eternity. I’m not sure there’s anything that could possibly be more stupid than that … he could die a millisecond before the words could exit his mouth … if he deems himself a reasonable man, then he should be asking himself what possible reason there could be for waiting.
One doesn’t just “convert” to Christianity. One realizes they are a sinner in need of a Savior, and based on belief in the Biblcal Gospel, repents of their sin and unbelief and places their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ alone according to the Bible alone for that forgiveness and salvation. It’s not just a “decision”, Scott – it’s a commitment.
While I like Adams very much, if I were him, I would not use a sinner’s prayer as a get-out-of-jail (or Hell) card. God Almighty knows our hearts and minds…