Leaderboard

quote: Here's where I stand: you want to drink Saint Vic's Kool-Aid, feel free to. Its your problem. But don't expect me to drink it and certainly don't try and ram it down my throat. I don't appreciate it. So anybody who disagrees with you is "ramming something down your throat"? Wonder what a psychiatrist would say about that.

IMO whether someone believes in eternal life or not, christianity as a whole has added immeasurably to the human condition. The Christian church has always been a supporter and in or near the forefront of the arts, architecture, sculpture, music etc that has served to enrich peoples lives... If there is a disaster somewhere you can bet that a ton of christian groups will be at the scene sooner or later offering aid of one form or another. Schools, Universities, hospitals are all institutions of the church--not exclusively--but without them, life as we know it would not be the same... ....Even our three branch form of government was modeled after the Episcopal form of church polity which gives every member a voice.... People may argue over scriptural minutia, but without the general principals of christianity that have pervaded the culture for a thousand years(Love your neighbor, be forgiving, be upright and honest,have integrity, don't cheat-be generous---a million others things that i cant find the words for right now--etc)the western world would be a vastly different place. The next time you are at St Judes Hospital getting treated, at a museum viewing the Pieta, somewhere listening to the beauty of Handels Hallelujah Chorus, watching an important vote in the House of representatives or watching hungry people get fed in a soup kitchen THEN think about what they have to offer---as i said earlier, even with the heinous things that have happened in the name of christianity, the world is immeasurably richer for its existence. The work 'in His spirit' continues I personally am not sure if I can wrap my head around an actual physical resurrection from the dead or not, it's a very tough question that I wrestle with and have wrestled with for 40 years..I can see it easy enough in a more symbolic and figurative way.... Jesus definitely lives on in his stories, his parables, his words and his 'spirit' if nothing else. Is that enough? I dont know...Ive tried to make the 'leap' and at times I may for a short period then recoil back after i think about it. ---Whatever---Im Ok with who I am and if death be final Im fine with that too. Its a natural process,it was all a great ride--- Im not looking for any bonuses---- if I do happen to get a 'free gift' at the end of course I'll be overwhelmingly thankful but I am not going to bypass this life, all its hopes and dreams and all that it offers in hopes of one day getting it all straightened out somewhere else. If it happens, fine, if not I still have no reason complain-To live was still a great great gift