*** Burning

The OP seems to be invoking the God of the Old Testament. Didn't Christ say that He was the New Covenant? From all that is written about the precepts that Jesus taught, any Christian should be praying for the redemption of any 'lost souls', rather than condemning them to earthly fires. Too many so-called Christians - I'm thinking especially about the fundamentalists of America - forget what Christ taught about not casting the first stone. Also, "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses"; this means that, to be a true Christian, you need to forgive the sins of others, otherwise your own sins will not be forgiven. In short, condemning others for their actions goes against the teachings of Christ.

Totally on point Maritn.

Jesus said the only way to get to the house of my father is though him, but he also said that the kingdom of heaven is open to all men, so I'm pretty sure you don't have to have the "Christian" label to get in, but you do have to have a "soul" and not have sold it. Redemption means you get it back if you have, (As one might expect from the father of lies, a Devils pact does NOT bind you forever, but it's still best avoided). 

Theologically seaking I am an engineer at heart. A theology or cultrue is only useful to YOU if it makes YOUR life better and only useful to greater humanity if it makes ALL lives better.  

Christianity has quite a good track record (when actually followed) compared to many of the alternatives, historically speaking I feel. It works for me practically, and although intellectuals can proudly show "how the Christ Myth is really just derivative from egyptian mytholgy" overall it's been enormously helpful in raising teh quality of life for many peopel over teh world.

I've watched us over the sixty or so years I've been paying attention simultaneously discard it as a society, and also experience a co-incidental plummetting in our Quality and ultimately Standard of life. 

Condemning peoples actions never works, That's what people with political agendas do in order to get other people to do things that follow their agenda, which is usually to distract and get the proles to blame a subset of themselves, never holding the actual the decision making class accountable) but pointing out the error of their ways if done skillfully and kindly enough CAN work for some people. But it's a thankless task a lot of the time. as is being a Christian right now, of course. I mean we all hate on teh Jehova's witnesses, but having let them into my house every sunday for three years, and subjected them to all sorts of "stress testing" along the way, including and not limietd to suplying tehm with all teh questiosn non-believers in God have asked me over the years, a few of my own, and making them eat (and occasionally pay for!) Wrights Morello Cherry pie from the cafe below which is now sold by Waitrose as own brand, (go get some it's wonderfu!) and all they are really trying to do is level you up as they see it, spirtually speaking. They never asked for money, but they did make me really think about how life really does and can work. It's just so hard to actually make "being Good" seem to work in this world! And that isn't THEIR fault... Its's ours. 

Not sure I agrewe with that I-Sperg, being an historian I've read quite a lot about crusades and threats, like the threat to invade Iceland and Latvia if they didn't convert, let alone the crusades previously mentioned.

I don't understand what the point of all the evangelism is, what does it hurt does it do if not everyone believes the same things?

Oh I didn't know you could do that, yes, it's quite funny.

Click on it.

Sorry the cartoon is to small for me to read.

you might enjoy this: 

I wasn't accusing you of evangelism I didn't ever realise you were Christian, I just don't like the idea of evangelising and a lot of conversions have happened at sword point and I don't see how that is a valid conversion as it comes from a place of fear, just as oaths under duress aren't valid.

I wasn't brought up with a religion, religion was one of those weird things you did at school, like being made to run around in the play ground in our pants and vests because it was PE. I but I found my calling and as the years go by I'm listening more and more.

My screeds should be really short on "evangelism" I'm pretty sure I'm not that kind of Christian. 

You missed out the inquisition completely, and the fact that our Russian orthodox Christians are at this this very moment killing an awful lot of people whilst claiming the moral highground against LGBT etc.. 

 I go out of my way I feel to try to make the distinction between the faith and ideals which I hold to be useable and workable for making my life better and limiting the damage I can allow myself to do to others during heated competition, and the concept of organised Christianity.

I'm personally "onto a good thing" and it is in my basic nature to try and share my good fortune (it always has been since I was young enough to understand the concept) So I try to share the idea that basic Christianity when adhered to does tend to lead to a more peaceful and productive way of life.

Heck, I watched a self harming, late night terror suffeirng, (she'd physically get up and run off into the night) 16 year old girl) completely recover and build herself a new life and family afetr a mere six months of living in my spare room and doing "Christianty".. Same tool largely turned my horrible life around about 40 years ago, and I don't do very much "Cristianity" at all.

So please don't hate on me for what you see as "Evangelism" I understand that many people have an alternative belief system that works for them well, but some of us are clearly finding that they need help. They have not had the luxury of being trained in any coherent life framework as children and late in life feel disconnected and lost. IT can be helpful and it woudl be curlish to keep it to myself.  

It's like a quad 405 power amplifier. Everyone seemingly knows of a better hi-fi amplifier, and they sure look boring from the outside but when you have one yourself and find it'll drive practially any load known to man at its full rated power (In real, not far eastern Watts) without distorting or failing for hours on end, forty years after the stopped making them, when I see other people looking for a really good hi-fi amplifier I tell them to look at a quad 405, it will do the job you need very well.          

My screeds should be really short on "evangelism" I'm pretty sure I'm not that kind of Christian. 

You missed out the inquisition completely, and the fact that our Russian orthodox Christians are at this this very moment killing an awful lot of people whilst claiming the moral highground against LGBT etc.. 

 I go out of my way I feel to try to make the distinction between the faith and ideals which I hold to be useable and workable for making my life better and limiting the damage I can allow myself to do to others during heated competition, and the concept of organised Christianity.

I'm personally "onto a good thing" and it is in my basic nature to try and share my good fortune (it always has been since I was young enough to understand the concept) So I try to share the idea that basic Christianity when adhered to does tend to lead to a more peaceful and productive way of life.

Heck, I watched a self harming, late night terror suffeirng, (she'd physically get up and run off into the night) 16 year old girl) completely recover and build herself a new life and family afetr a mere six months of living in my spare room and doing "Christianty".. Same tool largely turned my horrible life around about 40 years ago, and I don't do very much "Cristianity" at all.

So please don't hate on me for what you see as "Evangelism" I understand that many people have an alternative belief system that works for them well, but some of us are clearly finding that they need help. They have not had the luxury of being trained in any coherent life framework as children and late in life feel disconnected and lost. IT can be helpful and it woudl be curlish to keep it to myself.  

It's like a quad 405 power amplifier. Everyone seemingly knows of a better hi-fi amplifier, and they sure look boring from the outside but when you have one yourself and find it'll drive practially any load known to man at its full rated power (In real, not far eastern Watts) without distorting or failing for hours on end, forty years after the stopped making them, when I see other people looking for a really good hi-fi amplifier I tell them to look at a quad 405, it will do the job you need very well.          

Oh I didn't know you could do that, yes, it's quite funny.

Click on it.

Sorry the cartoon is to small for me to read.

you might enjoy this: 

I wasn't accusing you of evangelism I didn't ever realise you were Christian, I just don't like the idea of evangelising and a lot of conversions have happened at sword point and I don't see how that is a valid conversion as it comes from a place of fear, just as oaths under duress aren't valid.

I wasn't brought up with a religion, religion was one of those weird things you did at school, like being made to run around in the play ground in our pants and vests because it was PE. I but I found my calling and as the years go by I'm listening more and more.