Dear God

Dear God,

As you already know, I have spent the better part of the past twenty years questioning your existence. As I write this, I am still not sure whether I am writing to a divine being or something that mankind created to explain the unknown. The fact is, neither I nor anyone else alive will know the truth. But a lot's happened since I believed in you and I want to say a few things in case you are real and are listening.

God, I've come to discover that all of these religions down here are pretty darn bad. Many of them claim to be the "one true religion" and that believers of other religions, or non-believers, are doomed. That seems to go against everything that makes sense.

If Jews are the "Chosen," and Christians are the only ones to get into heaven and Muslims are the only people who properly worship you, then all of them are wrong, aren't they?

And how is one to decide which is better when all of them are ultimately not truthful?

I live in a predominantly Christian environment with churches all over the place. I was baptized and confirmed Catholic, though I have since renounced that religion. I look into this world I live and wonder who, if you do exist, really are your "saved" souls.

Am I, who doubts your existence but spends far greater effort helping others than most and is doing his best to make the world a better place, doomed to burn in hell?

What about some of the devout Christians out there? We have a president who is deeply religious and talks about his faith far more than a president should, yet has authorized the death of more people than I have even offended in my lifetime. Is he saved?

And what about Pat Robertson? He uses your name as a means for political gain and considers the illness of another to be your doing. What about him?

What about the members of the so-called Christian Right who use the celebration of the birth of Jesus as a means to discriminate against those who do not celebrate that holiday? Can anyone who consciously discriminates against another human being be saved?

It had been my understanding that to be a true Christian one must live a "Christ-like" life. But Jesus was Jewish, which runs counter to all Christian rituals.

In addition, Jesus was a man of peace -- a man who said told his followers to turn the other cheek. He also taught his followers to love one another as one wished to be loved himself.

I don't know, God. Is it me or do most people just not get it? This weekend we celebrate and honor Martin Luther King, Jr., perhaps the most "Christ-like" American who has ever been born. Yet there are people who wish to "honor" him with a show of military prowess. That runs counter to everything Dr. King -- and Jesus -- taught. I wonder if this kind of misunderstanding of his values was like the misunderstandings early Christians made when creating this misguided church millions of people follow.

So, if you really do exist, God, and you are reading this, then it seems that the list of your chosen or saved people is far different from what most people believe. I would think that those who try to be more like Jesus, or Martin Luther King, or Gandhi, or anyone else who tried to peaceably make a better world are your saved people and those who judge others based on their religious differences are those who are damned.

I guess I may never know the truths behind these thoughts.

In the meantime, I'll just do my best to treat others with respect and try to make this world a better place.

Sincerely,
Eric