Jesus is the only One qualified to forgive the corrupt nature demonstrated by all men on this earth. Without His forgiveness we are totally lost. The self righteous can't stand Him because of this truth. I suggest Peter you stop worrying about what others think and accept the simple fact that God has no plan B. Without Christ you are left with useless dead religion. It will be the name of Jesus Christ that every knee bows to not Allah, not Buddha, not Obama, not Gandhi. To deny this is to deny the gospel.

"Us church folk take this seriously!"

Well, there's your problem!

"I maintain that the anger and suspicion poured out against Christianity in our society is based on misunderstanding and/or bigotry."

Well, it could be. Or it could be because our tax dollars are going to organisations like Access Ministry with an avowed aim of recruiting 'disciples', and funding tax breaks for some of the biggest landlords in Australia. It could be because of the massive heartbreak and financial catastrophe brought about by religiously-inspired lunatics like Harold Camping. It could be because of the history of systemic child abuse being brought to light in both the Catholic and Protestant church and school systems, and the slimy cover-ups carried out by officials of those churches. It could be because atheist billboards are knocked over or burnt down, atheist advertising is defaced, and atheists are denounced from Christian pulpits around the world by the likes of Cardinal Pell, Pope Benedict and Archbishop Jensen. It could be because Christians have shown their readiness to violate laws and resort to violence to defend their unearned privileges. It could be because of any one of the hundreds of examples of religious stupidity and intolerance documented on sites like this one:

http://religiousatrocities.wordpress.com .

In other words, Peter, you could be wrong. You should think about that some time.

Why so many knives out, I cannot fathom. The author has presented more of a question than an answer, a contemplation of so many unnecessary misinterpretations of Christianity, an olive branch for understanding and compassion. He presents as a man struggling with a quandary - universal exclusivity, or universal grace. His struggle is at once worthy and tortuous.

The author's concluding statement is "....a life lived in the way of Christ is to be envied." But he has given insight in his article that no exclusivity is meant by this, where he states "... we are at base, graced in our lives and that to be a disciple of Christ is to become more so." So, we (all of humanity) are graced by our very existence, and who could argue with that? He has previously explained what it means to "live in the way of Christ" as simply leading the sort of life most of us would like to be universal - that is without violence or greed, and with understanding and compassion. This then is the universal lesson - to lead good lives, as exemplified by the best of examples. One such example is Christ, but there have been so many others, and of various occupations and various beliefs. Belief is not a boundary, and the leading of a good life is a bond, unconsciously held. Love and grace present a pretty worthwhile guidepost.

The author struggles with the interpretation of - "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I see no problem with this, for my interpretation (and possibly that of his daughters) is that the "through me" means living in accordance with "the truth and the life" - which is a good life, and not necessarily any more than that - and to "come to the Father" means to maintain the grace and opportunity with which we are all blessed at birth.

My interpretation may not satisfy everyone, that is their choice. I see universality, not exclusivity.

"My interpretation may not satisfy everyone, that is their choice. I see universality, not exclusivity."

But if you and Peter are free to interpret the teachings of Christianity to mean exactly what you want them to -- and all the adherents of the 34,000 other Christian cults are equally free -- then why do you need anything to 'interpret'? Why not just admit that you are making it up as you go along, and calling it 'Christianity' because it makes you feel good to do so?

You think you have the right answers, and so do I. But I don't pretend I got them from a zombie carpenter in a caftan.

Dear Peter,

Jesus can't love you. If he ever existed he is long dead, and dead men rise up never. However, runner loves you so be happy with that.

Commenter!

Have a heart; don’t spoil Mr. Sellick’s business.

Stirring emotions and feelings is all the poor man can do for a living.

After all, more than sixty per cent of us cannot produce any goods or offer any services.

Probably I am wrong. It may be more than seventy per cent of us sponging on the rest.

Perhaps I should ask the Economists or the Politicians or the Lawyers or the Academics or the Clergymen or the Army men or the Policemen or the Bankers or the Developers or the Estate-agents, not to say of the journalists, the book-keepers and shop keepers and don’t let me forget the organizers of do-gooders, who live in penthouses a life tax-exempt.

These people may know the true percentages