Frank Apisa
Quote:If you would like to discuss this, Caprice, why don't we do so?
Certainly. Upon rereading my post, I know it sounds unkind. And I apologize for that. To rephrase, I see a lot of comments on here that imply the poster sees things in black and white. I cannot know for certain since I don't read minds, but I wish people would be more open to the gray.
Years ago I used to ride the bus to school with a woman who lived across the street from me. (Technical post secondary, not high school.) It was well known in the neighbourhood that she and her family were devout Christians and I was a little leary of conversing with her at first. I expected her to try to convert me. But this wasn't the case at all. We had some very good conversations. I remember one time when she told me how in her youth everything was black and white. How there was right and wrong, good and evil. But as she had gotten older and experienced more of life, she realized life wasn't black and white, that there was a lot of gray. I've never forgotten that conversation.
I'm making an assumption here that those who do not believe in God and/or Jesus Christ as Lord (or, like yourself, do not acknowledge the presence or absence of the aforementioned) did at one time partake in religious ceremony of some type in their youth or have had some sort of exposure to Christianity. The sentiment amongst the "non-believers" seems to be that "believers" are fools or at least what they believe in is foolish. I guess that is what I mean by being narrow-minded. How can any of us say with any certainty how to get to heaven? (The original question of this thread.) Or that there even is a heaven? None of us can know this with the same certainty of knowing that, for example, if we pinch ourselves it will cause pain. How can anyone tell another with such conviction that "these are stories sold to the gullible" (as au1929 stated) or something of the like. How would any of us know? None of us were around when the Bible was written. If heaven exists, how can one person tell another "this is the way to do it" because they can't possibly know for certain. A person can have faith that they have lived the sort of life they believe will gain them entry to heaven, but it just seems to me to be a bit presumptuous to say "this will" or "this won't" when there is only one being who is going to make that decision and it isn't anyone on this chat board. I also find it presumptuous for anyone to say there isn't a heaven or that Jesus was nothing more than an ordinary man when they can't possibly know for certain.
Perhaps someone reading this will say I'm being presumptuous for stating that others are presumptuous. So be it. I know I'm far from perfect and my reasonings may not mean much to someone else but I will acknowledge that rather than state unequivocally that the other person is wrong and I'm right.
In the end, I don't think there is a truly definitive answer to the question at the start of this thread. As with many things in life there are no concrete answers. I'm okay with that. I'm okay with the idea that there will not be answers to a lot of the questions I have. At least not during my mortal life. That doesn't mean I won't continue to seek answers, won't continue to be curious. But I won't drive myself crazy with the why's of it all.
Although I've articulated some of my thoughts, I'm still not entirely satisfied with what I've written but it will have to do for now.
Back to you Frank!
(P.S. Edited add-on)
Do I sound as though I'm judging?
It isn't my intent.
Just stating my opinions on what I see here.
There isn't a whole lot of ways to express tone with just typed out words. *sighs*
