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coralproper said:
I am afraid that belief in only the bible and the cross condmen every other belief though...so i can not go along with these specific scriptures that pretain to this condemnation..even if it sends me to hell

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Coral

I'm with you on that one because I've seen how it's been played out around here. It justifies hatred, discrimination, and oppression. It provides "believers" with an enemy with which to wage and justify wars. It baffles me that some people believe they are automatically forgiven for these sins.

When I was a teen, I was walking with some Christian friends to register for our first year of high school. We were nervous because we'd heard about how the older students picked on freshmen. We were also nervous because it was the first year Chicago introduced bussing (desegregation) and the black students who would be bussed to our school were described as very dangerous because they were poor.

My friends convinced themselves they didn't have to worry about anything because they were "better" than everyone else and God would protect them because they are good Christians. I was baffled by this statement.

Years later, I was sitting in a church during a time when congregation members stepped up to speak. One member spoke of the drug addicts and thieves outside. He implied they were lowly and worthless people because they didn't have Jesus in their lives - he claimed all of us inside were "special projects," deserving of all the joys in life. I was baffled by this statement.

When I moved back to the home where I was raised, I brought my husband (Mexican) and young son (black/white) to my former childhood church for Christmas service. After so many years, I was hoping the congregation had let go of their racial hatred. The pastor spoke of new people present and pointed everyone out. Everyone else (new faces) was able to remain seated when pointed out. We had to stand for the audience - TWICE. We weren't "welcomed" - we were scrutinized and made to feel like targets. Sure they smiled at us, but I could see "GET OUT!" in their eyes. After the service, we were completely ignored by the congregation AND pastor.

I have nothing against the Bible, but I don't like to see it used as a weapon OR a shield. It makes me angry when strangers are judged like this because none of those people ever walked in the shoes of the dangerous or lowly and worthless people.

It's easy to be joyful when you have food/water, shelter, clothing AND you're surrounded by supportive friends. IMO, the true test of faith is when all this is taken away. We're all "warriors" in our own way, and we all have loaded "guns" When our shelter and support is removed, what will we choose - silent indifference, hunger for vengeance, or words from a wicked tongue? The Bible can't answer that question for everyone today, it doesn't specify which individuals will deserve to be fed, and it can't guarantee who will deserve shelter.