In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Except, of course, Daniel. Daniel lived six centuries before Jesus was born, and God gave him everlasting life. Check out Daniel 12:2.

Of all the stories that Christian fundamentalists tell, this is probably the most serious. You don't have to be a Christian to go to heaven.

An Exclusive On The Truth

When you think you have an exclusive on the truth, it affects your behavior. The very definition of bigotry ia based is based on that conceit.

big·ot   /ˈbɪgət/
–noun
a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion.
-- Random House Dictionary

It's easy to be intolerant of others' beliefs when you know you're not only right, but that you're the only one who is right.

Died As A Criminal

In many parts of the country, especially the midwest, you'll find three crosses alongside the roadside, made from telephone or electric poles. The center pole is painted gold, and it will be taller than the others.

But if we believe the Bible when it says that Jesus was one of three who were crucified, where do we find any justification for the belief that he died on a cross that was in any way different than those used for the others? Jesus was not exalted in death, but instead died shamefully, died no differently than any other common criminal.

Heaven, Hell, Purgatory, Limbo

Some theologians believe that life after death is a relatively new concept, because the peoples of this planet have become increasingly mobile. When your children and their children lived where you lived, and you were in constant contact with them all, it was sufficient that they thrived. You lived on through your children and indeed, the old testament requires that a man impregnate his brother's childless widow, so that she has someone to care for her in her old age, and his name does not disappear to the ages.

I live hundreds of miles from my birthplace, and it's not uncommon that someone be in my position. I have two great-grandchildren in Iowa; I've never met them, and I've never been to Iowa. If I were to die tonight in my sleep, they'd never know the difference. I have little to offer them. At best, I offer advice over the phone to my son, who offers advice over the phone to their parents.

In God's Image

It says in Genesis that man was created in God's image. More and more, it seems like the experts say that God was created in man's image. Thomas Becket said that if we had no God, it would be necessary for Man to invent God - and increasingly, I wonder if in fact, that isn't what has happened.

On Palm Sunday, during Mass, the Bishop of New York asks for support for the Pope in these trying times, and he was met with cheers and clapping. I wonder what happened to a church that would have asked for support for children who were raped by those they should have been able to trust.

No Mulligans

Belief in God doesn't imply belief in the afterlife. Heaven< hell, purgatory and limbo, it all seems so contrived, with so little evidence to support the rich detail. I'm not buying.

This isn't a dress-rehearsal, a tryout. This is it. You won't get a mulligan. Make your life count.