Letter to a friend about faith

Dear John,

I read some of your letter and frankly find it unessesarrily confusing.

It's is a simple premise that Craig offers. No one is suggesting that God changes, what does change is our perspective, position and interpreation of God, down here on earth quite unable to see the truth. This is the dilema.

I feel anything predominalty exclusive such as some interprations of the Bible even is divisive and frankly not what Jesus was preaching. I think that by being Christ 'like' i.e tolerant of ALL the worlds good people is the surest way to achieve salvation. NOT by telling good people that they need to follow one 'version' of a truth that none of us can be quite sure of.

Tell Me John, as a good Christian where do all the GOOD Daoist, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslims go? What about the good folk who have never seen or heard or Jesus? What about all those that lived well BEFORE Jesus came?

What's worse is that child minded extremists from all the various churches/faiths are claiming to know the 'true God' and are instigating suffering, hate and violence in the name of. In my mind this is the exact opposite of what God is.. That's just me though.

I'm a Christian, but of a different kind, i believe in love, faith in God and hope BUT i also believe in nature, truth and wisdom in a Celtic tradition and am confident no God of my understanding is going to condem his children to Hell becasue they grew up in one or other religous cultures.

It is with a certain amount of dignity and clarity in thought that i can offer offer you soem advice; that God is interested in the tuth of our nature, are we good people or bad. The cultural 'lens' or perspective (hence the elegant handle and mug metaphor) we view God through is frankly irrelevant, all that matters in the end is the truth. The truth about love which is fairly complex.

My sincere opinion is that any person or any fair having lived well will eventually find unity with God in another place away from this testing ground. I call it heaven, there are lot's of different names for it, it's ALL the same thing to me.

Are you good or are you bad? that is all there is for me.

Respectfully yours,
Dave