Re: BG: Re: Ronald Reagan

[Doris Bradley]

June 7, 2004   Dear Mary:   Mary is the prettiest of names-it was my Mother's name, rest her soul.  It was also Jesus' mother's name.  I'm not a biblical scholar and learn so many new things every day about everything so I'm not wise enough to (or inclined to) disagree with you.  I know you're absolutely right, and that many people don't love Jesus just as you say.  I wonder though, if Jesus doesn't love everyone and came here and suffered so that none would be lost?  That's sort of the way I see it.  I like to believe, deluded though I may be,  that Daddy who sang & wrote so beautifully about heaven and our Savior and living right and who spent 9 weeks hovering at death's door gave me the best advice he could.  He wanted me to grow up to believe that God could forgive anyone for anything, that NO SIN WOULD BE UNFORGIVEN IF---just as you say---a sinner-which we all are no matter how hard we try not to be & that's why we need God's mercy---if a sinner subjects himself to Jesus ultimately & seeks his forgiveness.    I wish I knew what happens after we die, don't you?  I'd feel so much better about it if I KNEW, beyond all doubt that Mama & Daddy are together in a wonderful place with God which is free of all hatred, strife, suffering, pain, selfishness, unbelief, sinfulness & wickedness in thought & deed.  I CAN"T SCIENTIFICALLY PROVE THEY'RE IN SUCH A PLACE, SO I HAVE ONLY MY FAITH THAT THEY ARE THERE, TOGETHER, WARM, HAPPY, AND ABLE TO SEE ONLY GOOD AND FEEL THE SHINING PRESENCE OF GOD'S PERPETUAL LIGHT & LOVE UPON THEM TO SUSTAIN ME & KEEP ME TRYING MY BEST TO BE GOOD ENOUGH & FAITHFUL ENOUGH THAT I CAN GO THERE TO BE WITH THEM & MY HUSBAND & FAMILY SOMEDAY MYSELF.  IF everyone who dies is given the choice, I like to believe that we'd all choose to subject ourselves to Jesus when faced with the choice of  praying to Him for forgiveness OR going to the awful place you speak of.  I have trouble sometimes when I ask myself "what's the difference in converting to Christianity & being saved on your deathbed after a long, sinful life of murder, or raping people, or theft, or child torture & murder----how is that different than if you die & then God is on the other side of  this world when you enter into wherever you go before you get sent to whichever place you go & He asks you, "My child, do you want to go to heaven or hell?"   IF that happened, I believe that the mere presence and love of God would cause every person who didn't believe BEFORE he died to repent and say, "Oh Lord, I want to be forgiven my sins & live in heaven with you, please have mercy on me."  I don't know exactly how it's handled or how we become immediately after death.  I like to think God is merciful and loving and I try to believe every person would get the same chance to repent & enter the Kingdom of  Heaven as they  had by repentance and being saved on their deathbed.    I'm trying to figure everything out just like we all are as I live.  Everyday is a learning process for me & I hope before I leave this earth I'll know a lot more than I do now-otherwise, I won't be nearly as smart as I hope someday to be.   I guess when I think of Heaven, I do think everyone goes there eventually.  I don't think we're all the same people we are today in Heaven, but that we must become spiritually different and the mere presence of the Lord cleanses us from all evil and makes us righteous.  We are all God's children, and I would forgive my own child anything-God surely is much better than I am, and I think He can forgive us for any sin in His own way and in His own time because his love is that great.  God loves us unconditionally, I believe.  IF the gate is narrow, can't it mean that only one person can pass through it at a time, not that everyone can't ultimately pass through the gate and enter into Heaven?  I have to believe that wicked, evil people are on a learning journey (as we ALL are) and if they don't learn what they're supposed to here, God meets them after death and gives them another chance, shows them His mercy, and they go perhaps to some level of  Heaven where they can learn repentance, even if that means they go to Hell & suffer first.     Mary, I can only speak from my own experience and from what I've been taught and what I've learned during my years in church.  I have learned, I think, that religion is such an intimate, personal experience that each one of us must experience it and practice it in our own personal way, no matter what that way is.  I don't think God cares what your religion is or if you are saved when you're 8 years old or you're 80 years old on your deathbed---I just think He wants us to do our best every day of our lives to live by His rules and treat other people as well as we can & do our darndest to live right.  That's what my folks taught me & what I try to do.  I've seen someone whom I'd always thought was a good person and a Christian exposed as something far different from what they'd always TOLD me they were.  I've also seen that person live wrongfully and sin regularly, treat others wrongly and do all sorts of  nasty  things to others & then when they saw death staring them in the face, they became completely different.   It was as if they'd suddenly been struck by lightning & they became God-fearing, repentant and did their best to make amends for the wrongs they'd done in life.   If that person had died in an automobile accident, suddenly with no warning, I pray to God that they'd have a chance to repent on the other side & change their ways & that they wouldn't be condemned eternally because they had no chance to think through--I MEAN MAKE THEIR CHOICE WHILE KNOWING THAT DEATH WAS BY THEIR BEDSIDE WAITING TO TAKE THEM--whether they wanted to go to heaven or hell before they died.    You should believe just as you choose and worship just as you choose.  Everyone has the right to believe as they choose and to have their own version of  personal belief and to live their life according to their own beliefs and teachings.  I respect yours and hope you can grant me the same courtesy.  I'm a believer in "live as best you can & let others live as best they can also".  IF I make it to heaven, I hope to meet you there and then maybe I'll have a better answer for you-or we can ask the Master who knows all truths and all answers & knows a heck of a lot more than either one of us.   The one thing I do try to do is not to judge anyone.  Thank you for being a bluegrass music fan, thank you for your thoughts and wisdom on this issue.  It gives me more information and a valuable opinion to think about & learn from.  I'm in your debt for that.  I don't know how to say it any better than to say that I respect your opinion and am grateful for your thoughts and am smart enough (I hope) to think about what you've said and try to learn from it.  The Bible is contradictory--please, no arguing on this website about this---it's open to interpretation and everyone has a right interpret it in his own way & should allow others to do the same.  It was handed down (as far as I can learn) by word of mouth for generations before it was codified into a written work.  I wish I knew what all was lost in translation from generation to generation and during the codification process.  All I can do is let my conscience guide me, interpret it the best way I can and let others do the same.  If I find out I've goofed, (which I do as I"m human) and I've been wrong, I have to go back & redo whatever I've done wrong.  I just try to keep my mistakes from hurting others & being so big I get into deep, deep trouble with the Boss upstairs.   God bless us all.  God have Mercy on us all.  Keep loving mountain music, it's just the best.   Cordially,     Doris Stanley Bradley. ----- Original Message ----- From: Mary Appleton To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 1:04 PM Subject: Re: BG: Re: Ronald Reagan Dear Doris,  God's word says that 'narrow is the gate and few there be that find it".  Have you considered what Heaven would be like if everybody went there?  If  someone does not love Jesus (many don't) they certainly would not be happy in Heaven.  There is a horrible place prepared for those who do not wish to be subject to Jesus.  Now is the time to decide where we want to go.  Thanks for an opportunity to comment.  Mary ----- Original Message ----- From: Doris Bradley To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, June 06, 2004 7:35 PM Subject: Re: BG: Re: Ronald Reagan June 6, 2004   Dear Dennis:   I have to quote Carter Stanley on that.  "It's not necessarily only the people who show up in the church pews every Sunday that God's gonna reward.  It's those of us who live by his commandments and live as Christians and by the Golden Rule every day of our lives that you'll meet in heaven someday.  God said, "It is MY WILL THAT NONE SHALL BE LOST".  We're all saved, do you think?   Cordially,     Doris.  ----- Original Message ----- From: Dennis Beal To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 8:23 AM Subject: Re: BG: Re: Ronald Reagan Interesting, you can count on one hand the number of times reagan went to church when he was president . Renee' wrote:     I think we should all have a moment of silence and say a silet prayer for Mrs. Nancy Reagan in this sad time, after President Reagan's death.   Neal Osborne     *  That was nice Neal.   Very nice.   And what a good man, and President he was. Our preacher gave him reverance this morning in church.   And yes,  Nancy will need our prayers. God has another one of His children by His side today.