Adams, 68, announced in May on his “Real Coffee” podcast he was fighting aggressive, Stage 4 prostate cancer and predicted he had only months to live.
Now, nine months later and in terrible pain, Adams told the “Real Coffee” audience this week he is embracing Christianity after living most of his life as a religious skeptic and agnostic. Best known for his cartoon work, he has also authored several books critical of religion and faith.
Talking about friends who have witnessed to him over the years, Adams jokingly said they will be glad to hear his end-of-life embrace of Christianity.
“I do believe that the dominant Christian theory is that I would wake up in heaven if I have a good life,” Adams stated on his podcast.
The I’m-good-enough-for-Heaven belief is a common belief in the United States, held by 48% of respondents in a 2020 survey by American Worldview Inventory. Many believe that belief clashes with the Bible and the gospel message itself, however, that states mankind’s sinful nature, passed down from Adam, keeps us from God’s presence when we die.
On the AFR “Today’s Issues” program, the famous cartoonist’s comments were played for the audience and discussed on the weekday show. Co-host and minister Dr. Ray Pritchard said Adams is close to understanding the gospel message of his own sin and a salvation that comes only through Jesus.
“Based on just what [Adams] has said, he's not far from the kingdom,” Pritchard shared. “I am praying very sincerely that the Lord will open his eyes here in these last days.”
Adams’ online comments about embracing Christianity got noticed by Christian journalist Megan Basham, the religion reporter for the Daily Wire. Basham, who is herself fighting cancer, likened his last-minute interest in Christianity to “Pascal’s Wager.” That famous philosophical argument by Blaise Pascal argues that believing God exists is a smart choice because the reward, if it’s true, is Heaven.
After other readers picked up on Adams’ comments on living a good life, Basham said she noticed that comment, too. “Scott still thinks Christianity=living a good life to get into heaven,” she wrote on X. “But he’s clearly becoming more open to the Gospel.”
When other commenters suggested Adams needs time and space to study and better understand the gospel message, Basham said he needs wise counsel, quickly, to explain the message of salvation.
“Barring a miracle, he doesn't have time. I'm praying he hears now,” she wrote.
Back on the “Today’s Issues” program, Pritchard said something else Adams’ said about his Christian friends stuck with the longtime minister. In a nod to sharing the gospel, Adams said he knows his friends take their Christian faith seriously because they want him to be a Christian, too.
"How would I believe you believe your own religion," Adams reasoned, "if you're not trying to convert me?"
“If you really believe Jesus is the only way to Heaven,” Pritchard said, “then you ought to be busy out there telling everybody every way that you can.”
