MATTHEW 18 contains one of Jesus' famous sayings:

Take a look at Matthew 18: 19-20, where Jesus says, “And I tell you more: whenever two of you on earth agree about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them.”

Based on the Matt. quote, I ask fellow posters: Let us that is, at least three of us, at SAGG, invite JESUS to join us at this site and our forum. Any objections?

None received, if Jesus agrees to join us--and I doubt that he will--I will ask him this:

Is this the kind of teaching that you, Jesus, believe all Christians, including those who are scientists, are expected to take seriously and to act on, literally?

Are we all expected to literally believe that YOU, Jesus, is--at this very moment--in your resurrected form of body--sitting there, with God (Father Almighty), and reminding your, "Father in heaven" of our prayer requests?

If so, count me as a sincere skeptic, but--because I enjoy all kinds of philosophy and even interesting fiction stories about religions--I am also open to hear any evidence that is available.

There are many science-trained Protestant Christians, Buddhists, Jews and others, who happen to be skeptics (but are not cynics). All keep an open mind, and are not afraid to ask:

How many of people, including Christians, really believe that he (Jesus) really is in heaven with his father, God, right now? And where is the evidence?

Even Orthodox and fundamentalist Christians are usually willing to admit:

"We have no evidence. All we can say is this: It is, "...indeed a profound mystery".

SINCERE ROMAN CATHOLICS TALK THE SAME LANGUAGE

Let us ask them, what about the role of the virgin Mary ... "Holy Mary mother of God" ? Does not the Pope expect devout Roman Catholics to hold a belief similar to that held regarding her son, as mentioned in Matt 18?

To be fair: Here is what sincere and devout Catholics teach about Mary:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception

TEACHING OF VERY DEVOUT AND ORTHODOX ROMAN CATHOLICS:
http://www.ewtn.com/faith/teachings

But note: It is a waste of time for sincere skeptics to ask sincere Catholics for scientific and concrete evidence.

All who doubt and ask such questions have to be satisfied with:

There is no such evidence. All we can offer you is this: It is, " ... indeed a profound mystery".

The doctrine OF MARY AS MOTHER OF GOD was dogmatically defined, December 8, 1854, by Pope Pius IX in his papal bull Ineffabilis Deus.


G~O~D--Now & ForeverIS:Nature, Nurture & PNEUMA-ture, Thanks to Warren Farr&ME AT www.unitheist.org