Dear Philo,

A figure who asks you to put your family below him is simply not worth a pail of warm spit. That is the demand of tyrants.

davidf,
Your heart continues to misrepresent Jesus teaching.

Christ does not represents a flesh and blood dictator that you propose, attracting admiration of a chest beating man; but the life giving character that expresses the very nature of God. You can only have love above family by first valuing the character of God. Family can only operate harmoniously as each person denies self and cares for the other as God cares

There are four Greek words that are translated love in English, and phileo is the word here and means - to have respect for.
Jesus taught if a person loves [phileo has respect for] God he will act in his character above the words or character of any family member. That is each man must individually follow God above the character or ideas of parents or family. This breaks the cycle of ingrained religious indoctrination - "think and act independently on the teachings I give", paraphrase of the words of Jesus.

Dear Philo,

Jesus is reported to have said that only him can one enter the kingdom of heaven. That is an arrogant remark. It doesn't matter how good you are. It doesn't matter what you have done. The only way is to swallow his mumbojumbo. There are other arrogant remarks - "I am the way, the truth, the light" You buy that nonsense. It remains arrogant nonsense. I see no point in continuing. Be well.

david f,
Do you want your ball also?
Jesus is representing the character of God. To follow his way, his truth and his life is the way to God.

You either believe in his way, his truth, his life or you reject it. That you prefer to reject it is your decision not to live a godly life. That is also arrogance - "I know better".

You had better start showing your better way, your better truth and a life to be followed. There is no arrogance in demonstrating a better way, a better truth a better life. Thousands are making fortunes each day claiming to be doing just that.

Dear Philo,

Every religion claims it has the truth. Christianity is just one of many with similar claims. There is no reason to that any of them have the truth. It's that simple.

You believe in one thing. Other people believe in another thing. No matter how strongly you believe that something is so that doesn't make it so.

The problem is not with belief. You may believe what you will. The problem is that missionary religions feel that because they believe something strongly other people should share that belief.

david f,
I agree; Any teacher who believes his stuff feels responsible to tell it to make changes to the status quo.