[Blarg]

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Dave,

I'm curious as to the answer to your trivia question. Is it the Sabbath? If so, I disagree, and if I'm wrong, fill me in.

More significantly, though, I don't think that focusing on the two greatest commandments necessarily means you're only partially a Christian. From my point of view, it looks like all of the commandments, not just the best-known ten, AND their correct interpretations, follow from these two greatest commandments. To fully live out these two is itself a life commitment, and is itself living according to all the other commandments.

One thing I'll tell you, Dave, is I suspect that many of the Christian beliefs you take issue with may be human dogma, not the actual words of Christ. If you're taking issue with the words of Christ, that's your prerogative, but I'd caution everyone reading this, Christain and non-Christian, to be alert when discussing things about Christianity as to how much is right from scripture and how much is coming from imperfect human interpretations or even complete fabrications. I would argue that someone who accepts the teachings of Christ but rejects the man-made dogma that sometimes gets interwoven with them is every bit the Christian, if not moreso, than someone who accepts both scripture and dogma.

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Great point. It's really sad that so many nonbelievers get blinded by this & never give Christianity a chance.

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I don't know about Dave, but I can say, that many of the issues (for me) are believing in illogical things. Believing that God exists and that Jesus is God is very arbitrary. Why would it only convince people that live in certain geographical regions? Why does being born in a certain part of the world make you better than other parts of the world? If you are born in Asia or in the Middle East, you are very likely to be Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim, not Christian. It seems illogical (to me) that Christians are right and they are wrong, when both sides seem to give similar reasons on why they believe (I just feel it).

I think the teachings of Christ with respect to being tolerant and loving one another are good things, but I don't think that teaching that the Christian god is the true god is a good thing. I just can't accept the idea that someone goes to Hell because he doesn't believe the same things as me.

Actions are more important than belief in God or not. Being good to my neighbor, being a good son, helping people, being kind are things that are infinity times more important than praying or thinking about supernatural beings.

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Very much agree. The choice of one God versus another is generally a matter of geography, not either conscience or even knowledge and understanding. The assertion that it is one's own religion that everyone should naturally accept is chauvinistic, willful, and blinkered. And, as history proves, often if not usually unsuccessful when not imposed by force or decree.