Dear Sir;

After reading your coloumn I find it interesting that you see fit to try and

"uncover" the Bible, God, Jesus, and most everything religious by nature that

is most commonly known in western civilization.

You may be right. There are inconsistancies and half-truths, things that

don't seem to make a lot of sense when you get right down to it. But the

essence of religion is not really what is "true" or "untrue" but what it

means to each individual. Does the belief in God or Jesus or both give a

person strength to carry on in the face of adversity? Does a person feel less

a part of the world if they don't believe? Now, I'm sure you wouldn't want

anyone to feel disinfranchised or left out; would you? You wouldn't want

anyone to destroy their lives or their families because  the thought of no

superior, higher authority or spiritual guide existing was too muuch to

handle?

When you look at God and/or Jesus and/or religion in a much larger, ethereal

and intangible manner it's easy to see what the attraction is. The crutch

that "believing" is, is exacrtly what people want. They want something to

fall back on. They need something or someone th make them feel that living

life in a positive manner is worth the effort and that there may be a reward

after their life has ended. Jesus is all about the good in people. The whole

message that has been sent down through the ages via scripture and song is

one of a common behaviour that allows every individual live in a just and

peaceful community. Is that so wrong? Is that so bent or distorted? So what

if it takes "stories" developed by men sitting around in a candle-lit hut

toshake out the decency in the human spirit.

God only knows there are enough nasty people out there who would not hesitate

to take the roof over your head or the clothes from your back or the food

from your table, or the computer from desk in order to make themselves feel

good about themself; and that has nothing to do with spiritual awareness.

R. C*********

St. Catharines, ON