Libertine, Okay, I'll drop the Red Herring. I'm sorry for being disengenious. I tend to be more tolerant of others because I've lived among Mennonites, Amish, Catholics, Jews, Greek Orthodox, Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, Buddhists, Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Unitarians, Episcopalians, Taoists, Baptists, Baha'i, Muslims, Hindus, Jesuits, American Indian. I see no reason to confront their beliefs. I just accept them as friends.
i have an idea. instead of all this arguing over what god wants and who he loves and whos going to hell etc, etc. why dont i just narrow it down to were you "Holy Rollers" can understand why people dont believe. if i started to write a book right now. and i told you that this guy i know or me or whoever, cured all of these people from sickness, never told one lie, never cursed, basically never did anything that you call a "sin", because he was the son of God or he was God. and then i told you that it was okay to drink alchohol. but then later on i told you that it wasnt. then i lived the rest of my life perfectly and then was totally innocent, and then and army hung me on a cross. but i had the power to get off that cross with the blink of my eyes. but i didnt. why? because i love everyone? because i love people who kill innocent people, and start meaningless wars, and interpret my whole meaning wrong? would you believe it? would you believe if just a normal guy like me told you this with no evidence? think about it. it sounds kind of crazy doesnt it? it sounds wierd that back then everyone WASNT looking for a savior and then someone comes and they believe everything people say, but today when people are looking for meaning in there life noone would touch it. they would say"thats crazy, ill never believe that." you just dont know what youre looking for. your lives are miserable and you want something to save you. so you give what life you have up to something your not even sure exists in hopes of living forever. and what may i ask you would turn you away from that moder version? iknow, NO EVIDENCE. there is NO evidence of any existing "savior or God" whatsoever.
ImFuzzynutz, You might be a little harsh. Your language certaintly is. When you say, How am I to separate that vitriol from those who spew religious hatred, those who say the Jews control Hollywood and the Mafia, and the conspiracists who say that the Masons control the government, that the British still own the US, that there will be a one world governement, etc? How is your hatred any different from a certain National Socialist leader of WWII blaming all their social ills on Jews? Not that you didn't make some good points. I just feel that it could have been better presented without the emotionalism.
That's why fuzzy is funny. He's like Bill O'reilly saying his show is the "No Spin Zone" or Rush Limbaugh giving you "the whole story". Hypocrisy is funny.