Hi, Heather —

You said:

1. Do people who are very moral and truly good to the core, but are not Christian or don't believe in God, go to Hell?

Two things to say on this:

1. No one is "truly good to the core" — that possibility ended with original sin.
2. Secondly, not all Christians automatically go to Heaven and not all non-Christians automatically go to Hell.

Those who love God and follow Him according to their conscience may attain God's gift of salvation, even if through no fault of their own, they do not have the fullness of the truth that the Catholic Church is and offers. However, it cannot be denied that it is easier and more certain to attain salvation by living the Catholic faith.

You said:

2. Are worldly pleasures in Heaven? like things people enjoy on earth ... like:
• T.V.
• partying
• etc.

It is speculated that these earthly pleasures are but a shadow of the pleasures that await us in Heaven.

3. Would you still go to Hell if you are a good, faithful Christian but do not truly believe?
   
   For example: if you go to church every Sunday, pray before all meals, behave morally and do not sin or do not sin often and try your best to not sin, yet, you still question God's existence?

It seems that one would not live the kind of life you describe if they did not have faith. Questioning one's own faith is not necessarily a sign of doubt, but could be a sign of:

• intelligence
• wanting
• needing, or
• the need to understand on a deeper level.

4. (Question 3 refers to me): I really want to believe in God, but I have so much doubt and so many questions I want to be answered.
   
   
   • How can I believe in something I can't see?
     Don't say "You just have to believe." or "This is where the faith comes in."

You believe in many things you don't see.

• Do you believe atoms exist?
• How about the wind?

You can see its effects like tree branches swaying, but you can't see the wind. We can also see God through the effects of His creation. Without God nothing makes sense, including all of creation, including me and you.

You said:

• How can I know for sure that He's there?
• Where's the proof?
  
  I kind of believe in Him, but sometimes I don't. I always wonder,
  
  "Is there really God?"
  

Ask Him. Ask Him to give you the grace to believe in Him and accept His will.

You said:

Yet, I still find myself praying to Him when I need luck and fall on hard times. He doesn't answer my prayers most of the times.

• Is that because I don't have total faith in him yet, or is it because God doesn't always answer everyone's prayers?

Well, there are three possible answers:

1. Yes
2. No, or
3. Not yet.

God always gives one of these three answers. God doesn't always give us what we want; but always gives us what we need.

• Do real Christians with total faith get the prayers answered?

Not always in the way they want.

You said:

• If God loves us all, why doesn't He answer our prayers, and cause grief in our life?

He knows what is truly good for us in His eternal perspective. Often we don't ask for things that will help us attain salvation.

You said:

I guess I'm just trying to ask:


• How can I try better to believe in God?
• What can I do to have more faith?

Follow His will and persevere. Perseverance is very important in the spiritual life.

• Will I be forever doomed if I can't figure it out?
  

If you are sincerely wrestling with the faith, you should be okay. Jacob wrestled with God in the desert, and persevered, so God rewarded him.

You said:

5. (Another quick question out of curiosity)

• Is it ever okay to lie, such as, if your friend asked you if you liked her hairstyle and it was actually awful, but you didn't want to hurt her feelings?
  

No.

You said:

• Or if you're struggling through hard times and your little brother asks if everything is going to be okay, but you actually don't know and say, "Yes" to comfort him?

It is best not to lie, but one doesn't have to reveal the whole truth all the time.

Paul