What to believe ?

I have a friend who claims to be a good Christian, goes to Mass now and then, confesses his sins at least once a year and is a “liberal” from a political point of view.

He does, however, not ( with a capital N ) believe in a life after death.

“When you are dead”, he says, “you're dead.” .. finish... that's it... the end...

no heaven, no hell !

Heaven, he believes, was invented by those who really wanted to stick around some more, maybe for ever.

Hell is a concoction of evil, dreamed up by those who wanted to frighten the rest and force them to do their bidding... or else...

When you are dead, you are dead. Forever...

But, he claims, he is a good Christian.

I know that he is a good man. Would not harm the proverbial fly, gives generously to every drive for “good causes”, honors his parents and loves his wife and children and is honest to a flaw.

But, and I simply could not stop myself, had to tell him, he is no Christian, no Jew, no Muslim, he is, I was sad to tell him, a 

“good man, nothing”....

Why not a good Christian?

He asked, obviously not interested to be any of the others I had listed.

Because, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven ( or Hell ) after one's death is THE fundamental tenet of the Christian and almost every other faith.

To be resurrected, to enter heaven or hell, as the case may be, is the alpha and the omega of Christ's teaching.

“I am the resurrection and the Life. He, who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live.”

(John 11:25)

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 )

I have never been able to understand this last one: Why did God sacrifice his son, so that everyone who believes in him have eternal life ?

Where is the connection ? Why was this necessary? Could God not just have said:

Everyone who believes in him shall have eternal life ? What is the purpose of the sacrifice ?

Should there not be a logical connection between Cause and Effect ?

The Cause being the brutal, cruel crucifixion and the Effect eternal life ?

Why and How does this demonstrate God's love for the world ?

Come now, whom are you trying to kid ?

Back now, to my lovely friend, who thinks he is a good Christian, but does not believe in Life after Death. The Bible, however, is full of such promises, and the Bible is the Book, written under the inspiration of God, therefore it must be the Truth. Or so Christians try to make you believe.

In fact, however, I believe that the Bible ( O.T. And N.T.) was written by men, uninspired by God, and is, therefore, full of error, contradictions, cruelty and blatant nonsense.

Therefore it is perfectly acceptable, in fact, it is recommended, to decide for yourself what to believe and what to reject.

You, my good friend, are a Good Man indeed, but you are no Christian until you accept this most important tenet.

You may, in fact, simply accept the “Golden Rule”... (do unto others as you would like them to do unto you) and toss the rest onto the junk pile of “Religion” where it truly belongs.

But then, who is

Bertstravels

to judge ?