What's wrong with "Merry Christmas"?

[Geoff Bannister]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Goddlefrood" <gav_fiji at ...> 
wrote:

> Goddlefrood: 
> It is my opinion, but based on extensive reading and thought, that 
> organised religion of all kinds that incorporate some kind of life 
> after death originated because of man's fear of death. During the 
> course of my life I've had to face the prospect of death, as I'm 
> sure many others also have, and it's quite bleak to think there's 
> nothing after death, which is the conclusion to which I came, dealt 
> with and then moved on.

Geoff:
Speaking, as usual(!), as a Christian, I differentiate 
between "faith" and "religion". If someone says to me 
"You're religious aren't you?", my standard reply is "No. 
I'm a Christian".

The problem with many people's view of belief is that it 
is rather like a set of rules which you sign up to and 
agree to keep – a bit like a club perhaps. This does not 
really involve real faith, merely an attempt to follow 
these rules. In Christianity at least, the basic belief 
is that we follow a person and not a life style which we 
try to maintain by picking ourselves up by our own bootlaces. 
I believe that I had a personal meeting with God when I was 
at college and that I am guided by the Holy Spirit working 
within my life.

Don't misunderstand me. That doesn't make me infallible 
or special. Despite the wish to follow God's guidance, 
all Christians will admit that they are sidetracked by 
worries, worldly demands, selfishness among other things. 
However, I am not led to believe that there is nothing 
beyond death. Religion can be a set of rules concocted  
by a human to suit their own desires. I think that other 
Christians on the group would agree with me that 
Christianity is a belief in someone we believe was
involved in the creation of our universe and is there 
to guide and help us through the labyrinthine complexities 
of life.