[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Please help

Well, unlike your faith, my religion doesn't require me to be perfect all the time.

You're confused, dear. Your religion requires you to be perfect, then when you aren't, you are believed to be reincarnated to try again. Your status in one life is directly due to the state of your failure in the last life. How very convenient for those born into wealth to treat those born in poverty with such abhorrence.

Then, for the grand reward, you get nothing. No more trying, no more failing.

If that's not a depressing way to look at life, I don't know what is. Perhaps this is why it has inspired such violence. Any religion, when taken serious, begets violence and hostility, with the notable exception of True Christianity, which begets peace.

You see, the Faith of Christ is the faith of Hope! The Buddha considered himself to be an example of "the way" for others. We know differently however, as the Bible tells us Jesus was the Son of God (Matthew 3:17) and that He and God are one (John 10:30). There was no mention of your fat, tree hugging hippie. Therefore, we can conclude he is inconsequential, and will only lead you to Perdition.

Jesus, on the other hand, taught that He is the way and not simply one who showed the way. You'd do well to heed His call:

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by me.
John 14:6

[Samuel Levenson]

Re: Please help

I have a confession to make. I am actually a practicing Zen Buddhist.

Friend, Christianity is an active religion. As we read the Bible and pray, the Holy Spirit guides us and reveals God's eternal message to us. Notice those words in bold? They're all verbs. Those are "action words" in case you went to public school. Romans 8:26 says

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

This means that once we start praying, the Holy Spirit helps us decide what to pray for because we don't even know.

Also 1 Corinthians 2:10-14 says

10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

God reveals things that seem foolish to unbelievers, "which things also we speak".

The difference between Christianity and worshiping the fat little fella who sits outside the Chinese restaurant is that God requires you to do something, instead of just sitting in your mom's basement chanting "Ommmm." Take it from me, friend. If you empty your mind, you're just making room in your head for demons.