I found Sara Paulson's op-ed "Religion: A Matter of Upbringing" (The Spectrum, April 5) fascinating, if concerning. She raised an excellent point when she said, "It's a little frightening that someone who gives every appearance of being the model churchgoer can turn out to be so . not." She points the finger at a major issue among Christians today - the apparent disconnect between what we profess to believe, and what we do and say in our day-to-day lives. It is the duty of each and every Christian to examine his own life for sins and practices that are not compatible with the beliefs he claims to hold.
But she also completely misses the point of Christianity. She seems to think it is all about going to church and living a moral life. That is certainly important, but it is certainly not the main point of the Christian faith. The Christian faith is about the claims of the person of Jesus Christ - a man who claimed, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)." You can choose whether or not to believe him, but choose you must.
A man who claimed to be the son of God, which clearly Jesus Christ did according to the reliable witnesses of the gospel accounts, either was truly the son of God, or he was not. If he was not, he is either a lunatic with a messianic complex, or he was a master deceiver who evilly led astray millions of believers.
Lord, liar or lunatic - you must decide. Do not be sidetracked by the mistakes of humans who share the same frailties as all of humanity and are only sinners saved by God's grace. Instead, analyze the claims of Jesus Christ for yourself.
I would invite you to visit any of the Campus Christian groups if you have any questions regarding the Christian faith, such as Campus Crusade for Christ or InterVarsity.
