Salvation vs. Helping Others

Hey Stile.Even before I became a closet agnostic I shared the same views as you have, albeit with the added caveat of the "or else" scenario hanging over me that Iano talks about. I believed I was "saved", but still held that my "worldly works" were very important, yet curiously independent of my religious beliefs. Looking back, this may have been one of the first signs that I considered doing "good deeds" and "helping people" (as a function of being as good and moral a person as I could be) as considerably more important than any aspect of my faith in Jesus had ever taught me.So the fundamentalist church I attend these days (closet agnostic, remember) contends that receiving the Lord Jesus as your personal savior is the only, and I mean only, criteria needed to enter heaven. Lately, there have been entire sermons devoted to what is expected of you in society, if you already know you're saved.For example, there are certain things which I would consider would be "bad" to do, and which others in my church would consider "sinful". The difference is that, if you're saved, all you need do is ask for forgiveness and *poof!*, on to the next sin. Now, of course, we're all human and thus, we all will commit those acts which, to some people, constitute "sin". And to be fair, the pastor of my church still condones "good worldly works" in conjuction with salvation.But see, there are no real definitive guidelines when you consider what type of sin is forgivable vs. unforgivable. The words describing the "guidelines", I feel, are parsed just enough so as to offer the equivalent of a "Get out of jail free card" in most cases of "sin". To be honest, as far as I can glean from the fundamentalist teachings, no sin is unforgivable if you are saved. How many death row inmates do you think still believe that since they're saved, or better yet, born again, that they'll be taking the quick trip from the execution chamber to the pearly gates? How many Christians could contend that these criminals definitely aren't going to heaven? I'll give you a hint: no one knows who goes to heaven and who doesn't.Sorry if that was too off topic. In my experience with fundamental Christians, everything we see is attributed either to God, or "The Adversary." If it's a beneficial path they're following, God led them there. If they're facing hardship, "The Adversary" is at work. And here I've been attributing things to either good fortune or a rotten case of random chance... But I guess their ideas make for better theater, yes?Anyway, sorry, my point was that your above comment (and I'm surprised Iano or Peg or ICANT haven't brought it up yet) would be construed by some I know as evidence that "The Adversary" is at work creating false impressions for how you think you should lead your life.Just thought you'd like to know. Thanks for the topic, Stile.Have a good one.

---

"My own suspicion is that the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose. J.B.S Haldane 1892-1964