runner,
I think you're deliberately not acknowleging the gist of my argument. What proof do you have that your "Lord" Jesus Christ is actually the son of God ? A Muslim who is just as brainwashed as you does not as I am aware call Mohammed the son of Allah. As far as I am aware he is a prophet i.e. a normal human who claimed to simply be chosen to spread his God's word.
That a thousand years later those who believe all that can't get along with each other let alone the rest of the world couldn't possibly a God's will.
Look at your lot over the years, they've actually blessed guns ! What a cracked-up circus.
What exactly is self-righteous about trying to make people more aware for a more cohesive existence. It certainly isn't as hypocritical as exploiting peoples' superstition !

'I think you're deliberately not acknowleging the gist of my argument'

No Individual you have a pathetically flawed argument. The proof I have that Jesus is the Son of God is the fact He said He was and that He rose from the dead. Plenty of evidence for those who have a genuine interest in truth.

You refer to 'your lot'. Who might they be Individual. Those who believe the words and teachings of Jesus. What about the god deniers that you belong to Individual? Mao, Stalin, Hitler? No doubt you will complain that I generalise exactly like you do with believers.

By all means reject Christ as Son of God and Saviour (to your peril) but don't be dishonest and deceitful enough to lump HIs followers in with followers of Mohammed or Buddha for that matter. Yes the Catholic church and others have been totally corrupt over the years but no more than the god deniers. Just proves Christ's teaching right.

Individual,

You will never find your 'proof' because you don't believe. All the answers to your questions are in the Bible, but you are unlikely to accept what you read. You do not have to believe anything. Christianity is not compulsory. There is no point in asking others to convince you. Acceptance or change can only from within yourself. Nobody else can change you. Arguments are futile. Believers know why they believe; hopefully you know why you don't believe.

To Individual.

I'd like to respond to your reply on Saturday Jan 19th, 7am.

<<Religion is nothing more than callous exploitation of superstition. I concede that anyone living by the rules of religion would make a good citizen but does anyone know such citizens ?>>

These two statements don't really fit together. Religion from what I've seen is not exploitive. Which I suppose I should be thankful that I haven't been exposed to something that is exploitive. Of the religions that I have been exposed to (mostly Christian and Baha'i) the closest I have to seeing something exploitive was after talking to a Jehovah witness they invited me to their church and some of their home meetings/bible studies. What I saw wasn't enough to conclude the stories of abuse in that sect are true or not, but it didn't seem like something I felt right with.

Most other churches I've seen try to encourage people in their faith. Occasionally I'd see a sermon about tithing, but that's as close to being exploited as it gets from those churches. Baha'i likewise shows no exploiting going on, but instead the community I met and grew up with were some of the kindest people I knew while growing up. From what I've seen of Buddhism, it's not about being exploited but seems to be about removing the bondages of being human. Released from pain, suffering, and loss, by not trying to seek happiness, and by accepting the pain along with the good things. Not much other exposure to see your conclusions, but from what I've seen many religions differ in their beliefs, but don't show an exploitive element to them.

<<If only we all lived by the ten commandments the world would be a better place or would it ?>>

For living by the rules of religion, the most I can tell about is Christianity, but I can tell a bit about Baha'i also. One thing I like about both is that they aren't just about making moral people, but to engage in the communities and make them better places.

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...With Christianity it's about saving and redeeming, and rules like the 10 commandments that make a better people living together, not just better individuals that are "enlightened" but on their own. The commandments cover to respect God, your parents, your neighbor (whoever that is), even to the last one in the 10 commandments to not covet (not want) what someone else has and therefore would reduce a lot of pain mankind puts ourselves through if it was also listened to.

Who can do it though? I've wager it gets easier with practice and the dedication to try again when you fail. (It also gets easier with God's help and prayer, but I understand if that is hard to relate to. Many people here seem to think anything spiritual, including God, is superstitious. He's helped me enough to recognize my efforts without His help, versus the easier efforts with His help).

<<The genetic make-up of humans is such that without the terrible conflicts throughout the millennia, this planet would now be so over populated that it probably would have caused the extinction of humans by now.
On the other hand religion has & still is causing so much division that it would be better if it were kept inside the home.>>

We live in a broken world. The terrible conflicts are an unfortunate part of our influence in the world that makes it so broken. However, if we weren't so horrible to each other and to the world we farm and are charged to take care of, who knows, perhaps what we think of over populated now, might not even scratch the surface of what the world could produce to feed a much larger population.

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<<Isn't it religion that is against birth control? Isn't it religion that demands we let criminals get away with their heinous deeds & wait for the Almighty to judge them?>>

Christianity, as I read it, is against abortion. Can't say about any other religion regarding birth control. In the bible, a constant them is to repent of your sins and turn to God. If they do, God will deal with them, but they will survive. If they don't turn from their sins, there were several rules for Israel to govern itself by and give justice. In the New Testament, justice still exists. The warning is to obey the rulers who rule over you, because even in their corruption and abuse, they still dish out justice to those who are unjust.

<<There may well be a God but I'm convinced that the first to be in his sights for judgement will be the religious hypocrites.
Religion would be a great thing if it weren't misused & exploited by the control freaks.>>

Again, can't speak of other religions. But Christianity does two things that make it great. It gives direction and teachings that can make people better then they were previously (if they strive to follow them). And it honestly makes God accessible to anyone anywhere. You don't need to travel to a certain temple in a certain country, nor be in the presence of a certain King, priest, Holy man, or other person. All you need is prayer and a willing heart to come to God. You can thank Jesus for that. I can tell you based on my own prayers that God listens and responds, but why bother going into that. It would be better to tell you to find out on your own, and see if I can help you find Him.