Reply #176: Respectfully disagree [View All]

[liberalpress]

You said:
"We atheists always have to live at 110% and we get no praise for it. Christians, in general, can live at 30%, but repent publicly and be considered far better than we ever were. Sorry, but my Christian forebears taught me that forgiveness comes through faith, penance and good works. I rarely see more than the first out of most Christians."

Here, is my religion as I understand it (your actual mileage my vary)

I am forgiven through grace. This frees me from the fear of death (the so called wages of sin) Free from the fear of death I am therefore available to live life at your 110% (or even higher).

I hears a great analogy once. You are playing football on a plateau atop a tall mountain. Off either end zone and all along the sidelines is a thousand foot drop. To runn off the fiels would be certain death. As a Christian you know that there's a safe, comfortable net just a few inches below the edge. The other team does not. You can play "full out" because you know that if you stray over the edge, the net is their to catch you.