[teejay]

>Eternal is a Life myth.

Eternal is a myth created in your mind biwotmoi. As for me eternal is a gift that God wants me to have. And it was granted to me at all cost. His only son had to die to make sure that we have this eternity.

>Man's sole quest in life in HAPPINESS. nothing more nothing
>less. even when people pray to God, in all instances they are
>just soliciting for divine help to achieve worldly happiness
>that is more often than not, elusive. look back at the times
>you have said a prayer...what were you asking God for? to save
>your skin when you had gotten into some kind of trouble, for
>financial breakthroughs, to pass your exams and then what
>after passing your exams...a home with a white picket fence
>with a beautiful wife chasing your cute kids around....?

It is true that man’s sole quest is happiness and that is how God intended for them to live – Happiness. But the entrance of sin marred God’s intent. So now Satan controls this world and we must therefore as Christians seek refuge in God at all time. And more so when trouble knocks for it is easy for one to draw back from God when afflicted. But then our strength to carry on even in such times lies in the Lord. One must therefore read their bibles to understand God’s will for them and why some things happen the way the y do. I gather that many people of today read not their bibles. They depend on what comes from the mouth of their pastors and bishops etc. In so doing they fail to see that these are men capable of fallacy and here is where the church is driven away from God.

>man is so fixated on pursueing happiness that he invents
>religion as a vehicle of achieving that kind of happiness that
>cannot be achieved through worldly efforts. listen to people
>give testimonies of how "they discovered the Lord" and you
>shall see that it is just a variety of narratives of people
>either cornered by various earthly afflictions or malleable
>minds that get impressioned by a strong sermon just like they
>would by an articulate politician.

Nobody as far as Christianity is concerned Created religion. It is as a result of divine pleading that We Christians obey and rally behind the divine having being convicted and realized that our sins only increase the proximity between us and the Lord our creator. If a person gives a testimony it is because s/he is witnessing. This is one form of evangelism. If you go through your bible in the epistles (Paul’s letters to the apostles and their Activities) you will find powerful testimonies about them. And thorough these testimonies they won more people unto Christ. The bible itself is a witness the Old Testament being one and the New Testament being another. If one does not believe in what these witnesses say then nothing will help these skeptics. It may be well of you also to note that in this world there is no peace and only when we turn to God whom our ancient parents had Long ago rebelled from then we shall find true rest and peace. Christ is the mediator between our world and God.

>the main reason why people follow a religion and i shall limit
>myself to Christinity which i am most familiar with, is not so
>that they can live an ethical and fulfilling life here on
>earth but so that they can be rewarded with everlasting LIFE!
>just take a moment and think; how many christians would be
>left on earth if you took away the dangling carrot...if God
>one day announced that there is not going to be any punishment
>in hell for sinners!! it is almost as if people have to be
>scared into believing. our love for happiness is so great that
>we want to make sure that even after we die, we end up some
>place that we are going to be happy; forever and ever and the
>only way to hope for that is through the adherance of a
>religion that teaches eternal life.

Well you call it the carrot I call it, The divine ultimate gift. Eternity which was God’s designation for Man since the beginning. It is this that God wants all of us to get. He want to all to go there(Paradise) and get this life. A life that subdues death. That is why He wants his message of divine Love to Go everywhere to all the people of this earth so that none can is left an attended by God’s pleading.

One thing am Glad of is that God is not you. He is faithful and can never think like you at any one time. What he has promised He will pour out to those who truly serve him. He knows the hypocrites among his flock and when time comes He shall separate the two groups and remain with those that are worthy of his gift. Those of us who adhere to Christ’s message know that He is the way the truth, the life and resurrection and without his death for us our earthly sojourn is but in vain. So don’t think religion think of true religion- Christ. Then only will you be at peace with Him who beckons for our attention everyday so that ye may receive life abundantly. Religion without Christ is vain worship.