Christianity is not for Pansies and/or my reaction to Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking recently proclaimed that heaven doesn't exist, and that its essentially is a "fairy story for people afraid of the dark."
Well, its pretty obvious to us believers that such ignorant comments are misguided. SH clearly has no experience with the Holy Ghost and with the grueling path along the straight and narrow. While there are many religions out there and some are fluffier than others, I speak to the consecrated Christian experience, which I have found to be hard core! For people truly interested in following the Master, it can be an intense exercise in self-discipline, self-mastery, sacrifice, toil, agony, patience, charity, etc, etc. Have you ever tried suffering LONG and then being kind to your tormenters? Turning the other cheek? Forgiving someone seventy times seven? Praying for your enemies? Trusting God enough to show willingness to sacrifice your own son (Abraham as hero)? Refusing to curse God despite what he takes from you (Job as hero)? This stuff is not for pansies. Au contraire mon frere!
Consider the profundities of the below quotes by Neal A. Maxwell:
1. “It is one of the great ironies of human history that some mortals with incorrect understanding of God and life's purposes sometimes scold God because of the abundance of human misery and sufferingwhich, indeed, lies all about us. Such individuals almost dare God to demonstrate His existence by straightening things outand at once But He is a much different kind of Father than that. Surely it is requisite to eternal life that we come to know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (see John 173).”
2. “We should not assume however, that just because something is unexplainable by us, it is unexplainable.”
3. “Some find it easier to bend their knees than their minds. Exciting exploration is preferred to plodding implementation speculation seems more fun than consecration, and so is trying to soften the hard doctrines instead of submitting to them. Worse still, by not obeying, these ... lack real knowing. Lacking real knowing, they cannot defend their faith and may become critics instead of defenders”
4. “How could there be refining fires without our enduring some heat”
5. “At times Gods best pupils experience the most rigorous and continuous courses. Eventually those who prove to be men of Christ will thereby become distinguished alumni of lifes school of affliction, graduating with honors.”
My experience with Christianity has been that consecration and sanctification often require periods of darkness, when God tests our faith and patience (see Mosiah 21:23). Further, He requires a willing heart, all of our resources - temporally and spiritually - and He will have a humble people. All of this stuff goes against the natural man, so its no picnic for those who sincerely welcome chastisement and correction. We surely didn't invent the idea of heaven to make us feel better. The more uncomfortable we are right now, the more progress is probably being made. Just sayin'...