This is in response to Faith's comments above:  So here, goes,

Hey Faith,
Thanks again for your comments.  I am going to respond to your comments that seem specifically targeted at the subject matter I wrote about because it seems that we are not too far apart when it comes to those things.

As you may know the idea behind Provoketive Magazine is to inspire conversations that may otherwise never happen, so I am very glad to have this opportunity to reflect with you deeper on my intentions about this article.  So here we go:

&gt;&gt;I know this will most likely be ignored and you will probably throw out some literature about how you interpret the Bible from an abstract angle and don’t take the words literally. 

Well I want you to know that I do not in fact take the words of the Bible literally, nor do I believe anyone does, even the so-called literalists.  If this were the case we would be keeping our wives in shacks away from the house when they menstruate, kissing each other each time we greet one another, killing our unruly children, etc etc etc.  So no, not literally, but I do take it seriously.  I love the Bible and I don't see it as an abstract work, but a very straight forward collection of stories from all over the early Christian world that has some literal texts as well as figurative texts and everything in between.  It is an invaluable source for us as Christians to reference when trying to understand the nature of God and how He has acted and with whom over centuries of history.

&gt;&gt;and I just want people who might be listening to your apostasized version of religion to realize that God did not promise us an easy life, but the things that are happening in our lives right now were foretold in the Bible. 

Hmmm, there is a lot packed in these few statements that I will try and address.  For one, you seem to think I have an APOSTATIZED version of religion, while I would argue that all religion to this day is apostasy of the original religion it was based on.  It is just a fact of life.  All things change.  Especially religion.  In fact the things you are arguing about when it comes to the only way to HEAVEN and the way you speak of salvation --all of that really only came about in the last few centuries of our faith's history.  Thus it is apostasy.  So I agree.

As far as God not promising us an easy life, well I completely agree with you there too, not sure what this has to do with my post.  as far as the things happening right now being foretold in the Bible, I think that is entirely possible as well, but I don't know anyone really qualified enough to make the call on what is prophesied for today and what might have actually already happened since the writing of those prophecies.

&gt;&gt;Even the fact that men would begin to change religion to fit their own perspective, to be able to do the things they want to do, to mold their religion to fit their sin filled lives, It is brought to light in the Bible with this line “Beware of wolves in sheeps clothing”. A pastor that would lead you away from the Holy Bible, a pastor that would not present your ONLY ticket to Heaven, is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Again, I am not sure what this has to do with the original subject, but it might serve you to know that the pastor(s) i speak of are good Vineyard pastors who have a collective experience of over 75 years of pastoral ministry.  This conversation had nothing to do with salvation, it had to do with legalism and the way that my legalistic behaviors had turned me into a pharisee.  

As far as leading me away from the Bible, a conversation that rejects legalism and shiny exteriors as opposed to being clean on the inside is completely biblical.  Jesus himself called the pharisees out on this very issue.

You should also know that historically the church was having to compete with all sorts of compelling religions at the time of the formation of the church.  Gnosticism in fact was absorbing a huge amount of would-be Christians, and so most of Paul's warnings about wolf in sheep's clothing, etc was really about the Gnostics taking over Christianity with their works-based gnosis religion that discounted the worth of humanity, and claimed that the spirit had more value than the body.  But that is another topic and another story all together.

&gt;&gt;If you want to true path to Heaven, read the New Testament. 

Based on my previous comments, I don't think we disagree that the good news is found in the New Testament and that the path to Heaven is found there, not in our clean shiny exteriors, but in how we truly live our lives.

&gt;&gt;Also, I would think a long time before choosing to listen to friends over God’s word. 

Again, I don't think we disagree on this either.  I would never choose to "listen to my friends..."  I however would counter my understanding of the Bible with what god is telling me through wise counsel and prayer.

&gt;&gt;Please read the exerpt below, with just ONE example of what is wrong with this writing. Salvation through Christ , by beleving in Him and the sacrifice He made for us and repenting your sins is your ONLY way to salvation.

Did I mention anything about the one true way to heaven or even the true way to heaven in this writing?  I don't think so.  Is heaven the goal though?  Are we really all just living so we can die and go to heaven?  Of course not.  Jesus certainly did not model that for us.  In fact he modeled a whole lot of other stuff that seemed much more important than some future reward.  I am not knocking heaven mind you - it sounds like a wonderful place, but I am saying that we as followers of Jesus ought to be about more than just heaven, we should be striving together as a unified body walking with Jesus to build his Kingdom here on earth, just like the prayer ask him to do.  

Well, anyway after carefully reading your post I am not sure we disagree on very many things.  Again, thanks for your input and for conversing with me on this subject.  Take care.