Augustine said, “Pray as if everything depended on God, work as if   
   everything depended on you.”   
      
   I have seen miracles worked by people within Christianity. I have also seen   
   miracles worked by people outside of Christianity. Right now I do not know   
   which one of these is right. So my solution is to have my feet in both worlds   
   and practice Christian    
   teachings while also doing what I can on my part to strive for better things   
   for people.   
      
   Some people I know who were not Christian practiced Christian values to a   
   greater extent than many people who were Christian. They practiced compassion,   
   generosity and strong ethics, which many people who call themselves Christian   
   do not. In some ways    
   the Jews and the Christians traded places since the times of Jesus, with many   
   Jews acting the way that Christians are meant to act and many Christians   
   following the Old Testament without loving their neighbor. I have also seen   
   strong ethics in many    
   people outside Christianity. So that while I remain committed to following   
   Christian teachings, I am also choosing to take the loving stance toward   
   people who are not Christians.   
      
   Some Christians do in fact act the way that Christians are meant to act. I   
   have been involved with a Salvation Army church, and these people do exactly   
   what Christians are meant to do. They have had very real experiences, and they   
   have dedicated their    
   lives toward doing such things as helping people get off of drugs and become   
   productive and healthy people. The experiences of William Booth, Bill Wilson   
   and any number of others cannot be dismissed. They experienced a real   
   intervention from God, and    
   they have done many things that Christianity demands. When people follow some   
   parts of the Christian teachings without following others, often God   
   intervenes to set them straight. The Victorians practiced morality but not   
   compassion, so God revealed    
   Himself to Booth. The result was the Salvation Army. The people in 1930s were   
   contemptuous of drinking, so God revealed Himself to Bill Wilson. The result   
   was Alcoholics Anonymous.   
      
   My solution therefore is to follow Jesus while being respectful of any number   
   of people who do not. In the best-case scenario I stand to guide them toward   
   Jesus. In case of people I've loved who are deceased and for whom I cannot do   
   such a thing, my    
   solution is to see what they would have wanted to see done and do it. So if   
   someone who is deceased wanted me to be a better person or to do good things,   
   I am willing to do both.   
      
   I have had many spiritual experiences, and while I do not yet know if only the   
   Christians are right I know for a fact that skeptics and atheists aren't. I do   
   know however that I need to do what Augustine said. Pray as if everything   
   depended on God, work    
   as if everything depended on me. And I recommend this approach to other people.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)