Hi Len,

>>Uh-oh! You better hurry and "reconcile yourself" first regardless, or you'll be eternally damned by "Him." And you'll deserve it because...because...well, it is written, or something. Touchy bastard, isn't He? ;-)
>
>A bit on the egocentric side - I can go out & steal, rape, murder, etc, but as long as I believe in him & say sorry & repent, then that's OK. Or I can live my life as a good person, help wherever I can, never intentionally harm anyone or anything, but if I don't believe in him, then it's eternal damnation.

Well, actually not.

Let's say it this way. A pig will always wallow in the mud, no matter how much perfume you put on him. IOW, Christianity (in the sense of what the Apostles & Jesus meant) is much more about inner change first happening, with the understanding that the 'outer' change naturally follows.

Religions want to coerce folks into some sort of mold against their nature (usually resulting in force) whereas Christianity changes from within.

If you don't want to love God He won't force you. However, if you choose to love Him He will most certainly reciprocate. <s>

No force. However, there are indeed consequences for one's thoughts and actions. Remember, the concept: personal responsibility. The problem with this, of course, is that most folks want to change others before themselves and that's really not the way it ought to be. You know, take the 6 x 8 out of your own eye before trying to take the dust mote out of your brother's. <g>

Still, my failures (and I have plenty! <g>) don't change the fundamentals I suppose - as though it were about me anyway. <bg>

>
>I guess believing in him & saying sorry every now & again means I have to take less responsibility for my own actions, religion seems to give an easy option for life.

Actually, no one really wants to hurt those they love, now do they? <s> I think you're kind of 'stuck' on the lie that God is some sort of Cosmic Killjoy.

Sadly, so many many Christians misrepresent Him that your understanding, while not really true, is understandable; given the evidence I suppose you've encountered. All I can do is attest that He is not this way - I cannot force you to believe what I say, nor would I.