DP> So you should believe all the stuff because if you don't, you may be
 DP> making a mistake.  That sounds like an awfully silly reason for
 DP> believing.  Don't you think God/Jesus would see right through that?

  All of the other "religion founders" are still in their graves.
As a bumper sticker I saw once said:

"Jesus Christ...the greatest man alive".

  All the other religions say you have to do all these good deeds,
works, etc. to get favor with God. What if everything you do turns
out to be not enough?? 

  True Christianity takes you, just as you are, with all your sin 
and faults, and by humbling yourself, and accepting what Jesus 
Christ did for you on Calvary...then allowing Him to mold you into 
what He wants you to be, you are counted righteous before God.

 DP> as kind as possible, and they'd condemn you to hell if you didn't
 DP> believe in their magic.  I don't know about you, but I have a feeling
 DP> that if there is an almighty deity, it'd be above such petty nonsense.

  To quote what the Apostle Paul was inspired to write in his letter
to the Ephesians (chapter 2, verses 8 and 9), and then 2 passages
that Paul wrote to the Romans (chapter 3, verses 10 and 23):

"For by grace (unmerited, undeserved favor) are you saved through
faith. It is the Gift Of God. Not of works, lest any one should 
boast". 

"For all have sinned, and come short of the Glory Of God".

"There is none righteous, not one".

  If mankind got what he really deserved, we would've been stamped
out of existence long ago...and none of us would be here...present
company included. 

  God commanded His Love toward mankind, in that while we were still 
sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He didn't have to do that...
taking His Judgment upon Himself for every sin that would ever be 
committed by everyone who would ever live. The only sin not forgiven
would be refusing His Free Love Gift. God does not owe anything to 
mankind...except to judge the unrepentant to the Lake Of Fire with 
Satan and his demons. 

  And to quote another passage from the Old Testament book of
Isaiah, the prophet (chapter 64, verse 6):

"All our righteousness is as filthy rags". 
 
  The original translation of filthy rags was "menstrual cloths".

  God gave us all free will, and you are free to believe however you
choose. Neither Almighty God, nor myself will force you to accept
His Free Love Gift, in the person of His Son, The Lord Jesus Christ.

  If you think that what I've said is a lie, that's your choice...
but, everyone is going to give an account for their lives one day,
and what you did with Jesus Christ.

  And, I'm not a "holier than thou" type of person...I'm as guilty 
a sinner as the preacher is. But, as noted above...I'm a sinner...
saved by the Grace Of God.

... Thou shalt have no other Sysop or BBS before this one (just kidding!).
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