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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: epicure who wrote (82862)	9/8/2008 6:21:16 PM
From: Katelew	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 541627

I condemn all religions for their tendency to exclude the "other" and to demonize the other. They aren't all equally bad, but as far as I'm concerned they are all bad enough I am assuming you reach this conclusion based on what you hear preachers say? I say this because I don't think someone who read the Bible, particularly the New Testament, would make this deduction. First, there's nothing on which to solidly base the idea that the "unfaithful" are consigned to Hell. Actually there are scriptures stating that Gentiles, defined as those who either don't know about or don't embrace Christianity, will be 'rewarded' based on their works. Anyone, Gentile or Christian, will be punished relative to sinful acts committed and remaining unresolved. So it's behavior not belief or lack of belief that might result in some kind of punishment. Also Hell and hades really aren't mentioned scripturally as much as one might think, and I think only the Book of Revelations references 'a lake of fire' which I guess is the source of the fire and brimstone comments people make. At any rate, to me the overriding theme of the scriptures has always been that of God empowering man to greater accomplishments during his or her human life. Not a theme of rewards or punishments given out in the next life.