Well Don, in order to believe a man called Jesus died on a cross, to pay for the sins of the entire world? One must also hold open in the mind, the possibility of the opposite or the other.

Even so, when I look at the sheer incomprehensible grandeur of the visible universe//night sky. And note that there really is more visible stars in the firmament than all the grains of sand on all the beaches of the world.

Then contemplate the sheer number of times these same stars had to die and rise like a phoenix from the ashes, born again as new stars, just to create the building blocks of life.

I don't wonder if there was or is a god or a purpose to everything. To believe all this happened perchance Ludicrous! As is the notion, life created itself.

I mean we can and have created viruses (pseudo-life) in the lab. But only in carefully created and controlled conditions and then only in the presence of a supervising intelligence.

Why it'd be more feasible and at far fewer odds, for a whirlwind to whip through a junkyard and create a fully functioning flyable 747, than for much more complex life to have created itself from chance and fortuitous serendipity?

Finally as someone who died and returned to tell about it. I can say with absolute confidence, life doesn' end with apparent physical death! And Go does speak to us, as he spoke to me.

And I can tell you it's extremely disconcerting to hear voices coming out of thin air! And even more so, when you understand what they're saying.

And in essence say, churches, catechism and a brainwashed from birth for or against belief system proves naught!
Alan B.

I would agree Don that it seems that “only a quite small proportion of 'Christians' actually know what it is they believe in”. As far as whether we are “not yet a strongly secular society” I think that we are rapidly becoming one.

Of course anyone can claim to be whatever they like: why it is that so many still identify as ‘Christian’ on the census form when their actual commitment to genuinely following the way of Jesus seems to be non-existent, I don’t know. I doubt that the next generation will continue the charade, and surely, as a matter of integrity, that will be a good thing.

I do wonder though if it will be a better world to live in.

For a start, a secular/materialist worldview is, in my opinion, unable to provide a foundation for objective morality. If all we are left with is moral relativism then the (frightening) rule of ‘might makes right’ will quickly come to dominate.

If oblivion is all that awaits us at death, whether we are rich or poor, wise or foolish, kind or selfish, ignorant or educated, then what is the point of one’s existence, especially if one has had a very tough life?

Further, it is hard to see how free will, all appearances to the contrary, can exist in a purely material universe. And if there is no free will then we are just machines that can’t have any influence on anything that happens anyway.

None of this proves Christianity to be true of course but it may give us pause before too readily overlooking it and throwing in our lot with materialism.

Interesting account of your faith or lack of faith story Don. Much of your observances do ring true to the current state of play with the church and faith.

Genuine Christian faith all boils down to whether you accept Jesus Christ as being the Son of God, the sacrifice for our sins, our Coming Judge and of course HIs ressurection.

In my opinion the vast majority of thinking people who reject Christ don't want to live in what they see as the moral restraints that God requires. That is despite the fact that these so called restraints gives us protection and even freedom.

Yep it takes some self searching (not pleasant) to believe in one's sinfulness but thankfully a great joy in finding or being found by the only Sinless One.

btw When reading the Scriptures you could hardly define the Catholic church as representatives of Christ. The other clear proof of how wicked we become when we deny God is our current 'secular/feminist/marxist whose fruit is putried. Fatherless kids, the murder of the unborn, massive suicide rates, rebellion, breakdown of family are all fruit of the stupidity having God and His ways driven out of our schools, Governments and unis. Blind Freddy can see that. Secularism is collapsing as it is a death culture. Unfortunatly should God allow us to continue something far worse that what we have now will replace the void left by godliness.

Religion has killed Faith !

The evil that is Pell has done much to erode faith in Faith.

I find the information on Australian retired lawyer Victor Zammit's site on the scientific proof for life after death and what happens when you die of interest.