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Blog - Joyful Curmudgeon
Comments by: Pamela Banduric - 20 Aug 2006

These Comments are from the Joyful Curmudgeon - Blog

Re: John 14:6 � 19 August 2006

Dear Joyful Curmudgeon

No words can express my deepest thanks for you August 19th post on your blog. I was raised in a Christian family who were active in the church (First United Methodist) and community. I believe myself to be a Christian as well as a practicing vegan but for years I have been told, both directly and by inference that one cannot be a �Christian� if one does not accept Christ as the only true savior of the world and without that belief one has no chance of entering the gates of Heaven.

Yesterday�s discussion of your interpretation of the passage in John 14:6 is as close (and much more clearly stated) to my interpretation of this passage that I have ever heard. When �cornered� about my objection to the single mindedness of those who insist that it is �Jesus Christ� or nothing, I have always had my interpretation of this passage rejected (no big deal � being vegan and active in AR gets one use to that) but more disheartening is being told that �well, then you can�t be a Christian�. My interpretation has always been that Christ was using his actions and words as being the way to the Father. In other words, that unless one lived or at least strove to live by His words and love and actions one could not enter the gates. The Christ that I learned as a child was not so self centered and arrogant that He would ever tell followers that �better believe in Me or else�. Instead, I believe that He was saying �do unto others as you would do unto Me � that is the way to eternal life and the Father.

Thank you so much for putting into words what I have long believed but thought I stood alone. And thank you for giving me back my �Christian� fellowship. I have been told for so long that I could not be a Christian if I did not confess that Christ was the sole savior and the only way into heaven that I had begun to wonder what religion I �was�. It is nice to know that there are others who make a similar interpretation - that He is the Gatekeeper and opens or closes the gates on one�s path in life not one�s born again profession of His name.

Pamela Banduric, Founder
ReachableStarr Rescue
Animal Rescue and Rescue Resources
P.O. Box 1893
Birmingham, MI 48012 -1893
[email protected] 

�as long as people believe that euthanasia is the only solution to the problem of pet overpopulation they will stop looking for other solutions�

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