>Howard
>
>No hate here and I don't think what I said showed hate at all. Ridicule, disdain, maybe but not hate. As a matter of fact I'd been thinking that I should show my respect to you and congratulate you on your sticking to your guns, despitre all the flak you receive.
>
>One could say I hate what you stand for - a "merciful" god that won't let anyone into His kingdom who hasn't kowtowed to Him, including all non-Christinas (no matter how pious and good they may be 0- esp. as it allows the evil-doing Xians that just happened to "repent" on their death-beds), and all the unfortunates who lived before X was even born, or before X's Word was spread (but we've disputed this subject before).
>
>Now then, civil or no (as all good other-cheek-turning christians should be) in your replies, if you were standing in front of me spouting this arcane nonsense then I suppose the debate would get heated, maybe on both sides. It's pointless arguing the same toss over and over again - you just won't accept common sense, just as most of us won't accept the words of some dark-ages primitives as the "Word of God".
>
>I'd say the "Word of God" is heard only by us in our hearts, telling us to do no harm, love each other, not to kill, to have pity and remorse, etc. etc.. But this everlasting damnation business is a load brain-washing fiction.
>
>I have spoken.

Okay - thanks for clearing that up. You're right - I shouldn't have said "hate."

As far as a merciful God goes - I prefer to look at it this way... We all deserve to spend eternity in Hell. Even those who think they are really good - have selfish motives. There's not a person on Earth who could honestly say he's never done anything wrong. It's something we ALL have to deal with. God shows His mercy by allowing those who trust in Christ to spend eternity with Him.

Of course, none of this makes sense unless you are committed to the Bible and take it seriously. That is the foundation. If one does not accept that, then - yes - this does all sound a bit foolish. It's like I said to Alan - or someone else - we all have to place our faith in something. I've chosen God and His word. Others have chosen the logic of men or science. At some level though, you have to just trust that what you're relying on as truth is really truth. I prefer to rely on something that is outside of man.

If you've never studied the Bible, I'd encourage it - even as a critical review of it. I think you'll find that, while it is old, it is by no means primitive.