Casey, I agree that its not the religion that makes or defines the person but it sure does serve as a huge neon light pointing to what they are willing to invest their lives, time and energy in.

Its not hard to understand that it would be hard to turn away from the belief system we were raised with and other belief systems are fascinating, I agree. As I've stated before, my grandma was mostly Blackfoot and Southern Baptist.

But, for myself, I have such a responsibility to know the truth and the truth isn't relative. Its black and white. There's no such thing as your truth or her truth or his truth or my truth. There is an ultimate truth and no matter how good the counterfeit religions look and no matter how sweet the participants are and how "normal" their activities seem to be or how much sense they seem to make, if their God isn't God the Father and Jesus Christ in the flesh and the Holy Spirit, then they're hitting all around the mark but missing it. I believe the Bible states "narrow is the road and not many people choose to travel it..." Its certainly not that God doesn't want them with Him. He isn't willing that anyone should perish, but that all should have everlasting life with Him.

Its people. A person's stiff necked rejection of the truth. How does that saying go, "If I can't impress them with brilliance, I'll baffle them with bulls***." Meaning, the truth and the way are sooooo simple and so easy that people think they have to DO something spectacular to merit it so the counterfeits baffle with bs to appeal to the insecure ones who think there's no way they could merit something so wonderful without earning it.

The Gospel seems too simple. Why don't we have to earn it or beat ourselves or our drums, or hop around three times or say ninety mantra's or put our kids in the trunks of trees or whatever...Its a FREE gift. Nothing you or I can do to earn it or deserve it. The gift was paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. We don't have to go around and around and around in the universe coming back as cats or dogs or gnats, we are and were in the mind and heart of God from the very beginning of time. "It is destined a man once to die and then the judgement." not to die over and over again until he gets it right.

Anyway, that's what I believe and I really don't want to offend anyone. You guys are very special and dear. The Bible refers to the latter days of the earth when people would worship the creation rather than the Creator.

I mean, how would you feel if your husband loved and worshipped his clean shorts or his apple pie rather than being thankful for you because you made those things possible for him?