It seems to me that you may have missed the most important part

of the Bible (if you actually read it). The part that talks about having

FAITH (or BELIEVING in God the Father, his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit

- all one being - God). One of the reasons for Jesus being sent to earth

was to show people that God actually exists and if you believe in him

and accept his teachings and his fathers laws ( i.e.. the ten

commandments) you will be accepted in to the heaven.

        Jesus while on earth has performed many miracles, some of the

major ones included resurrections and curing the sick. The way the

miracles were done shows my point exactly. Before each miracle he asked

the person involved if he/she actually believed in him (Jesus being the

son of God). If they did they were cured or resurrected. Now don't

misinterpret how these miracles were done. God, being the supreme being

has the power to cure or resurrect any one at any time, so Jesus could

have just pointed at the person involved in the miracle and cured them

instantly. But he has not done that - he said "If you BELIEVE in me" you

will be cured or resurrected. So IT is actually the FAITH that cured or

resurrected the people not Jesus by clicking his fingers (although he

has provided the power for the miracle). Jesus performed these miracles

as an example for others to follow - the example -to have FAITH IN HIM -

not to try and perform miracles on others. One has to realize that God

gives us a choice - the choice is simple - To Believe or not to Believe

in him - thus making room for people like yourself who are skeptic or

simply don't believe.  He COULD HAVE made us so that we are all be born

believing, if he had your web page would have never been here. Ponder

that.

So hopefully you can SEE that it is all about FAITH and the CHOICE that

you make. (more on FAITH when you read about ST. Thomas)

        As for the earthly administration or governing of this FAITH

called the Church - you have to remember that it is all run by people

who have the same choice as you do - To Believe Or Not to Believe (or -

to follow the Christian example or not). You also have to remember that

non believers will often take advantage of Christianity (their believes

and admin. system) to gain power over other people. Just because you say

you are a Christian or go to church every sunday or became a priest or a

Pope - doesn't actually mean that you are - you only SHOW that you are

as opposed to actually being a Christian. Christianity is only a guide

line - for a life style. Large number of non believers are just as good

people or better  than the believers - they simply follow the example of

the believers - not even realizing it.

        There are many examples of  corruptness of the administration

system (or the church) in the past 2000 years.  From the Teutonic

Knights who claimed to be Christians - but actually worshiped the devil

to recent rapes of alter kids. The earthly administration history is

quite often nothing to be proud of - but on the other hand - it is like

anything else - where only the bad new are reported, remembered and

talked about (and they should be remembered as examples of how not to

be) and the good things Christianity has done - is forgotten.

Are you still with me? - we are only talking about the ADMINISTRATION OF

THE FAITH (or the organization called the Church) not the FAITH itself -

don't mix them up.

        I am not about to apologize for or defend the mistakes of the

church, because people who run the church and who ran the church in the

past are just like you and me, faced with the same choices. As a

Christian NOW I can not be held responsible for action of other people

in the past who claimed to be Christians. If they were Christians - they

would have not done these things. Being a Christian - means that you

follow and abide by the teachings of  Jesus Christ and that you have

FAITH.

        ALL of us (you, me, the Pope etc.) have two things in common all

the rest may be in some way manipulated or changed - we are born and we

will die (on that level we are all equal), and it is only how you lead

your life in between that will determine what will happen to you after

death. (meaning - just because you are the Pope does not mean you're

automatically going to heaven)

        If you are a true thinker as you call yourself - than read the

Bible trying to interpret the Old Testament rather reading it word for

word - as it tell stories which define good and bad, how to be and how

not to be, and tells about the problems of the people of that time - and

the problems that god had with them, this involves a lot of thinking and

is by no means light reading. Any one can read it word for word. The New

testament on the other hand is a historical account of the life of Jesus

Christ and CAN be read word for word. Don't confuse the two.

        So - TO BE OR NOT TO BE - a Christian - that is the question.

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