Hello Peter T

I believe it because it's in the scripture, the dead in Christ shall rise first and then the living which remain.

> And I truly am for freedom of religion. Just don't impose your views on my life. And I truly am for freedom of religion. Just don't impose your views on my life. And I truly am for freedom of religion. Just don't impose your views on my life.

Unless you have a problem with freedom of speech or thought, I don't see how 'anyones views are being imposed upon your life'. (Secular ones perhaps but not scriptural.) (Prez Bush doesn't even speak up for Christians who are persecuted or murdeered around the world.) I am always bemused how the mere mention of Jesus Christ inspires the immediate conclusion: Just don't impose your views on my life. I would also like to point out that those of us who believe the scripture are, from our point of view, believing-in God's view of things. not our own.

>As to the Christianity of which you speak, the Bible condones slavery, provides for stonings, and speaks of innumerable other violent acts. As to the Christianity of which you speak, the Bible condones slavery, provides for stonings, and speaks of innumerable other violent acts. As to the Christianity of which you speak, the Bible condones slavery, provides for stonings, and speaks of innumerable other violent acts.

In the first place, you 'presume' to know the Christianity I speak of, when you have next to no knowledge of what I believe. Another illustration of an 'immediate conclusion' of this nature is how when one becomes truly aware of the fact that I actually believe the scripture(including Heaven & Hell, as prescribed), they generally conclude two things: 1) I think I am better than them, and 2) they suddenly expect me to be as sinless as Jesus. It is annoying and generally, permanently precludes having any meaningful conversation of what the scripture actual says. What I truly think is, 1) that I am better-off(assuming the Christian scripture is true), but not better than them(or you), 2) I am an extremely faulty human being(read, sinner), which is probably why I saw 'my need' for Jesus' redemptive forgiveness. And it does annoy me, on what I consider to be a subject of unequalled individual importance, that so many folks are closed minded based on their presumption rather than risking what I base my belief upon.

2nd It's funny, but just yesterday a dear friend brought up the subject of slavery in the scripture. Why do non-believers expect the inspiror of the scripture to ignore the facts of human behavior? In addition, this begs the question of 'rightly dividing' the scripture. e.g., Christians and Jews are instructed to come to the same God in different manners. I may be assuming too much, but from what you've written, I would say you think the Sermon on the Mount was delivered to Christians and is for Christians, but you would be wrong. I don't know if you have studied or merely read some bible, but the Sermon on the Mount was spoken to Jews, preChristian Jews. Jesus came for His people the Jews. All of the New Testament is not solely for Christians. I am simplfing here, but predominantly, he wasn't all that interested in non Jews- he left that for the apostles, and Paul in particular. The details are terribly important in 'rightly dividing the word of truth'. As to slavery, it exists today, in this country in a variety of forms, and I as a Christian am instructed to be a good slave if I find myself in such a predictiment. In fact, I would probably resist it mightily! Stonings, that's Jewish law not Paulian Christianity.

> How do you reconcile such horrible things with the Sermon on the Mount passages? How do you reconcile such horrible things with the Sermon on the Mount passages? How do you reconcile such horrible things with the Sermon on the Mount passages?

God has different ideas than men. Isn't that what men generally hate about the scripture- because it testifies to the short comings of human nature- 'men don't come to the light because their deeds are evil'?

I would be happy to speak to the remainder of your questions but not at this time. There is too much to cover.

To close however I would like to point out that Jesus(& certainly God the Father) is not a mild mannered peace loving dude, He certainly displayed anger during His ministry, AND restraint. That's part of what bugged the Jewish leaders of his time, 'the Jewish people' expected Jesus to be political and a mighty military leader(as the prophesies He was obviously fulfilling(old testament) portended; they simply confused two side by side prophetic streams; but He will be one day return(following the so-called rapture) as some hoped and many expected roughly 2000 years ago. I, like many Christians, am hoping it is during my lifetime; just as the common Jew of Jesus' day hoped He would lead them out of bondage permanently, as the prophesies of old testament scripture lead them to hope.

Be well