Thanks for the clarification Kate. The gloves are off and the invisible purple rhino is set to charge into the fray.
Absolutely correct TNZ. Essentially all religions, especially Christianity, are primarily political movements intended to control the beliefs and behaviors of people based upon brainwashing children based on ritual and dogma. Of course, as always, accompanied by the threat that if you don't do what we say you are going to burn for eternity in hell.
Witness above, Black posting "Does this mean that only Christians can be saved?" which goes to the heart of the threat. We, not one of whom ever actually heard a single word spoken by god or Jesus Christ or the devil or the snake or Moses or Joe the Bartender, presume upon ourselves to determine who is and who is not going to make it into the mythical place of eternal damnation. Talk about self-delusion and self-aggrandizement.
What ever happened to living a decent life and that respect for oneself and from one's peers being sufficient? Well that doesn't give some minister appropriate control of his or her tribe.
And speaking of the tribal nature of self-righteous Christian clergymen here's a newsflash from my area. We have the leader of a congregation here who, in the name of his saviour Jesus Christ has decided to introduce a law to deprive some people of their lawfully granted civil rights. Read all about it:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/222495_hutcherson02.htmlJesus could consort with the poor and prostitutes. But the good reverend can only consort with the wealthy and the neo-fascist.
I'll bet this guy is as twisted as a whirlpool.
