Gerry: You mentioned "Hell". In my humble opinion, "Hell" as commonly believed and pictured is not Biblical. My hubby has been studying Hell in the Bible, and much of the time it is mistranslated from a word meaning "grave". My God did not create people knowing they were going to suffer for eternity. X

What if someone doesn't believe in God, Jesus, Salvation, Heaven or Hell, and they're wrong?
It's a lot safer to believe!

Amen, Jim. Hiya X. You all right? Not long home from another crackin' night @ Radio!

@Jim: Thank you for your kind comment! X

Great way to spread the word and "To God be the glory" for it. Jim

Jen: I'm happy your Mum has a great doctor, too. My doctor always makes me feel like I'm her only concern in the world. I never had that feeling from any doctor I ever had under many years with a HMO. X

I hope you manage to keep your good Doctor. They are still around! Mum also has a fantastic one who was a part of the strong team who helped bring her through her last illness.

Hi Fernando: I appreciate the apology, but I was not offended. I was just using your comment as an example of how people like to criticize my faith. Thank you very much. That was kind of you to come here and apologize. X

Jen: I'm happy that things seem to be looking up for you.

I never had a "family" doctor until 13 years ago when we moved to this state. Before then, I was in the first Health Maintenance Organization, HMO. I could never see the same doctor twice in a row, it was just the luck of the draw. When I quit my job and moved here, I was out of that HMOs range, and did not get more insurance. Now, I have a family doctor. She knows me and my hubby, and she cares about us. Since we always see the same doctor, she knows our medical history by heart. She is a wonderful doctor. X

X, if my comments in that post offended you, I sincerely apologize.

I am also on the side of Doctors who do their job they trained for. For instance, the guy who gave me my full diagnosis a few months back. Knowledge is power, and knowing what my real problems are, are far from being "all in my head". Now, I'm made safe because I know how to take care of myself.

20 years ago, or so, I had to go in for operations to save my sight. I had lot of good people praying for me at the time, and these dear souls saw me through my time in hospital with their prayers. Some of them have now passed on, but, those who remain have stayed constant, loving friends. In those days, our health system was something to shout about. My GP, back in those days, insisted I went to visit his surgery once per month so he could keep a check on me to see how I was managing being temporarily blind. I'm so glad I had the problem all those years back. That kind of care just isn't available now. Not in my area, anyway. I was so saddened to find out, a few years later,that this dear, very loved Doctor had himself passd on. I wanted to stay with his surgery when I moved away. His reply was: "Look, if one of my patients was having a heart attack over here, and you were in trouble also, where you're going, who would I choose to visit first?" I completely understood him, but have missed his care ever since. There are more stories of other fantasic doctors over the years, so yes. I do believe in good doctors.

Jen said: "I've also had to deal with religious bigotry in one form or another" There are a lot of people who call themselves "Christians" who do evil things. That should not be a refection on who God is, in my humble opinion.

As far as medication. I know what you are talking about, Jen. I have had too many illnesses in my life, and the medication for all of them interfere and cause side effects with each other. My doctor and I have agreed to under-treat a couple of my illnesses because treating them would make me worse. I just have to suffer with the symptoms. But, I am all for medication and doctors, for that matter. Luke, who wrote the Gospel of Luke and the books of Acts, was a doctor. X

I see both sides of Greg's story. Remember - we've all been there, on the side of unbelief. It took me many, many years to come to grips with what I was dealing with. I've also had to deal with religious bigotry in one form or another, which also turned me off, very badly. I don't take drugs for my arthritis. I choose a safer method. I've seen at first hand what some of these potions do to people. One of them almost killed my mother. Two other "products" have given my husband incurable side-effects, which he'll have for the rest of his life. I'm too scared to take these things. Yes, Greg. I too, trust in God to look after me, and I am not ashamed to "own" Him. I'm nobody's fool. I have a brain, which we are all given. To not use it is to insult my Maker. Of course I use it. I hope I use it wisely, not just for my health, but in ALL situations.

Greg: That joke is to ridicule believers. If I, personally, was on my house in a flood, I would thank God for the first help that arrived. My policy is: "When in doubt, thank God". As for the people who don't believe in medicine, there are fringe groups in every belief system. They do not speak for the majority. X

In my opinion, the only harm that can come from having personal faith in a higher power is an over-reliance on someone else to fix your problems, like those folks who won't take any medicine because they think God will heal them. Most of the faithful seem to understand that you gotta meet halfway.

There's an old addage in which a flood is coming. The local authorities come in a truck to evacuate the people, but this one old fool won't leave his house. He says, "I know that God will save me." The rain starts to fall, the waters rise, and the rescuers return in a boat. He still won't budge, telling them "I know that God will save me." More rain falls, and the old man's house is quickly submerged. Now he's up on his roof, and the rescuers return in a helicopter. They are astonished that he still won't leave. He says, "I know that God will save me." Of course he drowns. When he meets God in Heaven, he says, "I had faith in you. Why didn't you save me?" God replies, "Hey, I sent a truck, a boat, and a helicopter. What more do you want?"

Jen: Unforgiveness is a problem for a lot of people, me included. Good think that God's love for us is not conditional. X

My two biggest problems were living with total unforgiveness and hatred of certain situations. I hope I'm past all that, now. These two things easily block the Light, if ya get me.

Jen: God tried to get me for many years. I can see that now, but at the time, I had my mind made up, and there was no need for God in my philosophy. X

It doesn't matter how any of us find Him, X - just as long as we find him:-)

Jen: Good ones!
Psalm 14: 1 The fool says in his heart, "There is no God."
Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.

I was too hardheaded to believe the Bible as a source of information until I ruled out the other ways life could have gotten here without a creator. X