I hate....

having to clarify myself. Folks have read my articles and claimed that I'm saying that you shouldn't go to church, or that I'm giving people permission to drink and smoke.

These people need to read more clearly.

I didn't say not to go to church. I didn't say that church attendance is outdated or unimportant. I merely made the point that you are no less of a Christian if you don't go to every weekly service and event. Personally, I attend church every week for a variety of reasons, but rest assured, believing that I'm going to Hell if I don't go is not one of them.

The flu just hit pretty hard around here, and I got sick on a Thursday night. I stayed at home all day Friday and Saturday, unable to speak clearly and coughing constantly. By Sunday morning, I could talk again but I was still coughing and did not want to spread the virus/bacteria/whatever [you can tell that I'm not a science major] to my fellow church-goers. Fast-forward 100 years when I've just died and I'm standing before God. He says, "I would let you in, but back in 2008 you got sick and didn't go to church on a Sunday. Sorry!"

Wait. What in the...? Because I was sick and didn't go to church one day, I'm going to burn in Hell for all eternity? I don't think so. If you believe this way, you are devaluing the abounding grace and mercy of God Himself. Surely you haven't attended church every Sunday for your whole life; by your own judgment, you have just rendered yourself into Hell the same way you rendered me. On top of that, I can't bring myself to believe that I can do something or not do something and go to Hell for it. Salvation is supposed to be unconditional, and not based on any action of our own aside from believing in God; if I can gain my salvation for going to church every Sunday, or any other works, then that would mean that I could do something to lose it.

Speaking of judging, there was a reason why the Bible said, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." This is not saying that you should not judge people. There are instances in which you must judge people and places and make decisions based on this; if you did not judge a partygoer's behavior, you wouldn't see that he was drunk at the time and you would get into a car with him driving! This is saying that when you judge someone, the way you judge is going to be the same way that you are judged. But, that verse is a different rant for a different day.

I'm going to continue my clarification of myself on a later day, despite my distaste for self-clarification. It's like quoting yourself: "Well according to established psychologist Dr. PJ McDoogal, the human brain works in a self-promoting way. Hey, what do you know? I'm Dr. PJ McDoogal!"

Can you see how ridiculous that is?