Wild,

"Gee whiz these so-called moralists in this administration are such gas lighting hypocrites. As a federal worker, I had to take hours long classes on cool stuff like not being able to buy my immediate boss a lunch that cost more than ten bucks. Heaven forbid I bribe him."

Do you think that started with "this administration"?

Federal employees have been sitting through ethics training and gift rules for decades under both parties.

Friend,

You're free to spread your beliefs.

And I'm free to ignore you and stop reading this thread.

Adios...

Friend,

You just now figuring out that's what Christians believe?

Christians vary all over the place in their specific beliefs and practices.

There are even Christian churches that other Christian churches consider to be teaching false doctrine.

As for who's right, I suppose we'll all know one day.

Either there is something beyond this life, or there isn't.

Snoofy,

"Do you think that there are people in Hell who are just as good as the people in Heaven?"

"Being good" isn't the criteria.

The Bible approaches the issue from the perspective that everyone is a sinner.

Religion has become such a source of conflict.

The Constitution protects freedom of religion and prevents the United States from establishing an official religion.

There is often confusion about that. Some people speak as though there is a constitutional right to "freedom from religion," but that is not the same thing as freedom of religion or freedom of speech.

There are those who will not be satisfied until religion is pushed entirely out of public life, and that simply is not going to happen.

Eventually, people will have to learn to live according to their own beliefs, share their views peacefully, and allow others to disagree or walk away.

People will gather with others who share their faith, values, and traditions for fellowship and worship without feeling the need to force those beliefs on everyone else, blast them into the open air, or demand that society conform to them.

That is the only way people of different faiths and backgrounds can coexist without constantly fighting over it.

Snoofy,

If there is a heaven and hell, I won't be the one doing the judging.

So my opinion isn't much use.

I can only go what I've learned from Christian churches and what's written.

It's not my style to tell anyone with any confidence who is or isn't going one place or the other.

I found in my notes years ago it got started that I told Laura she's going to hell.

I wasn't able to find it and asked Dan to say where he found it back 5 years ago.

He didn't respond with an answer.

Friend,

I found this.

On 6-19-22 I wrote the following,

Dan,

"Like when you told Laura you wouldn't see her in the afterlife?"

Find that post and share it.

POSTED BY BILLJOHNSON AT 2022-06-19 07:26 PM

It seems you have made that accusation before. Did you find the post and share it like I asked?

Considering it was Dan who originally got this started, I wouldn't bank on it being true.

Friend,

"My, how "Christian.""

No...it's how human.

If Laura was provoking me and most likely was, then she got a response out of me.

Find the post and share it. I'll try to find it too.

Friend,

Not blaming.

I didn't say Laura was attacking me. I said I would be interested in knowing how much Laura was.

If she was, then I deserve for that to come out.

That was an abrupt thing for me to say and out of character.

If you want to judge me, feel free.

Dan,

"You literally told Laura you wouldn't be seeing her in the afterlife."

That was rather abrupt of me to say, and I would be interested in the rest of the context. How much was Laura attacking me?

However, was that really saying I think I am better than Laura?

As I've said over and over, "I'm not better, just forgiven."

I have plenty that needs forgiven.

Pride is an easy hole to fall into.

Paul, in the New Testament, wrote that he was given a "thorn in the flesh" to keep him from becoming proud.

For me, since the 80s, that thorn has been an extremely painful dry eye condition that has made me dependent on the understanding and accommodations of employers and other people for much of my adult life.

It's hard to feel superior when you're constantly reminded of your own weaknesses and limitations.

No, I don't think I'm better than other people, contrary to what some people here believe.