>
>Day Brown wrote to Mark Bloss about Ordered Universe?
 DB> On 04-02-98 Mark Bloss wrote to Day Brown... 
 DB> Zoroaster made progress by pointing out that what was regarded as 
 DB> 'evil', was in fact, the result of dementia and ignorance.  Where 
 DB> most folks find evil, I *always* see irrationality, and so to say 
 DB> that evildoers deserve hell and damnation, looks irrational.  
 MB>  
 MB>  To say any of us DON'T deserve hell and damnation, also looks 
 MB> irrational. 
 DB> Deserve? to what purpose? If you could watch them fry in hell, is 
 DB> that some kind of *justice*? They are, after all, *dead*, and can 
 DB> no longer do anyone any harm.  Frankly Mark, the whole idea, that 
 DB> Christians would be 'saved', and these others damned, looks to me 
 DB> like a very unchristian and uncharitable attitude.  If God can be 
 DB> so forgiving during life, I see no reason why he cannot after.  
 First of all - I never once said that only Christians would be "saved";
 those are words put in my mouth, so to speak.  I am very careful of how
 I write certain things - so that there can be no mistake.  It still is
 quite amazing how twisted my statements are made to be by other's
 perceptions.  If you would like to know who is going to be damned
 and who is going to be saved, look no further than those who are 
 _already_ damned, and look no further than those who are _already_
 saved.   Is there a non-christian living a saved life?  Then they
 are already saved.  Jesus is quoted as saying "He who judges himself
 aright passes out of judgement, for they have already judged themselves."
 Did He say anything about whether or not they believed in Him, or did He
 mention their being Christian?  Obviously not. 
 
 One can learn as much by what is _not_ said, as by listening as close
 to what one says.  Has one found happiness, is one satisfied in their
 life?  This is the one who is, and will be, saved.  Is there one who is
 miserable and hateful, scornful of others, judgemental?  They are already
 damned, and will be damned; lest they find in this life happiness and
 satisfaction - when time is allowed to them.
 
 God is not the one who is forgiving after life.  He has already forgiven.
 He has already done as much as He needs to do.  God has already healed,
 He has already saved, He has already unburdened us of our debt.  This is
 what satisfies.  "I am satisfied", God said.  Past Tense.  It is not
 future tense.  Now it is up to _us_, not "us", as in "us Christians", but
 as in "us humans".  God has laid our salvation out like a feast - now it
 is us who come to the feast, or not.  "Come all ye who are heavy laden and
 I shall give you rest."  "Come to the feast, for the table now is set."  
 "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life."
 
 Once you take out all the petty religious conotations and self-righteous
 gobbly-gook, you come away seeing the words for what they _mean_.  
 
 Wages: Payment for.  Recompense.  Pay Check.  Salary.  What We Deserve.
 
 Sin:  Mistakes.  Screw-Ups.  Accidents.  Everyone does it.
 
 Death:  Non-Existence.  Oblivion.  Separation from the source of All.
         This _is_ the pay check.  This _is_ the consequence.  Not because
         it is God's judgement; but just as if one falling off a roof is
         killed - it is a consequence of falling off the roof.  That's 
         just the way it _is_.  
         
 Gift:  Reward.  Non-obligatory Prize Winnings.  Jackpot. 
 
 Eternal Life:  Undying existence.  Everlasting.  All the time in 
                the Universe.  It is what we have instead of death
                because God has said so.  That is all.
 
 We have it _given_ to us.  Us HUMANS.  Not Us Christians.  That's the
 good news.  Why would anyone miss it?  Only if they _choose_ to miss it.
 Period.
 
... Judge me not by who you are, but judge me by who I am!
--- GEcho 1.11++TAG 2.7c
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