>>Of course it makes sense, without the Xian bit. There are many religions that preach "do good or go to >Hell". Why, there are even Hindus who brush the ground ahead of them for fear of stamping on an insect, >literally wouldn't hurt a fly, never mind another human. You never heard of Karma? These gentle people don't >deserve salvation?
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>There are many who are seeking God. That's why there are so many religions. Man was made to worship God. Some choose a false religion/god. I would call the whole Karma thing a lie. As far as anyone deserving salvation - I've already stated that no one "deserves" salvation - it is a act of mercy from God.

Well those Karma guys might say YOUR version of atonement is a lie.
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>>We keep telling you: it's not His Word but what some ancients wrote down. You never heard of liars, story-tellers, embellishment, fantasists? How do you KNOW these weren't?
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>I'm trusting that God's word is true. We don't really "know" anything - it's all a matter of trust.

Exactly. Maybe they made the whole thing up. What if I were to write down that God had spoken to me and told me to spread the word to lighten up on this "only through Christ" bit? WOuld you believe me? Of course not! What makes me less believable than some guys hundreds or thousands of years ago. Was God only around then and now He's off on a 2 millenia holiday?

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>>Look, I've studied enough in school and church and Sunday school, etc. to get the gist of it: Be Good. The intellect behind the writings was not primitive but these men, were you to show them a digital camera, would interpret it as magic - that kind of primitive!
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>I guess I'm okay with that - since you're calling Shakespeare and Hemmingway primitive too.

Well it's interesting that Shakespeare didn't seem to know that there were no cloicks around in Julius Ceasar's day. Primitive? well not half as much as the ancient writers. At least he wouldn't have seen gunpowder as magic.
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>>If you want to go on about the Bible, how about one of the most famous acts of "christian" charity it portrays: that of the Good Samaritan. HE wasn't christian, yet cited in a parable by Jesus. To your logic, even a man cited by the Lord wouldn't qualify for heaven. Such hypocricy!
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>Who says he wasn't a Christian? I don't believe the text states his spiritual condition.

Well the fact that Christianity didn't start till after Christ's death and it was Jesus telling the story gave me a clue ...