Dear Kevin!

I'm saddened that you have not read my link, as it deals with the --------------. Do you really believe that nothing you could do would effect your salvation? God demands our service to our fellow human beings as a precondition to advance in our spiritual path, no matter which it may be. Without service, there is no spiritual growth, period. So many christians have adopted the verse "by faith are you saved, not through works, lest anyone should boast", because its just comfortable for them to think that by faith alone their salvation is garaunteed. That's very convinient, isn't it?
All we hear is "Love your god with all your heart, mind and soul, and your neighbor as thyself", but what is that love worth if it is not expressed in some form of service to society and other poor and needy human beings?

Service is the key to ---------- and liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This is what Jesus Christ and Mother Teresa understood and stood for. Jesus came to the world as a teacher to demonstrate the ----------- par excellance as the means to attaining what you call Salvation, which really means ------------.

The problem is that most christians have not been exposed to these ideas for so long, and have been mislead by the very quote you gave to me, that most christians these days seem at a lost to know and understand what it is that truly gives man true joy, peace, and freedom, and garuantees salvation.

If your spiritual path tells you that nothing you could ever do might bring about your ----------- and that you are not in control, than I prefer not to choose that path. If christians believe that by mere faith they serve God, and fullfill their mission in this world, they are sorely mistaken.

I prefer the path of ----------- as a far better belief system to follow. Any path that encourages service to fellow beings and suggests your attitude towards that service, and describes the effects of these actions upon your spiritual growth, is a better path to follow than one which tells you that works are not a means of salvation.

Regards,
  The Wanderling

It's sad to me to see how so many people here believe that is faith alone which leads to salvation and not works. Was Jesus not a man of service and selfless works? Your salvation is UNDER YOUR HANDS!
I considered becoming a chrisitian but the doctrine of salvation through faith alone and not through works troubles me. I would like to be cleared of confusions and hear ur opinions on the following article.

(link deleted as it is against forum rules to post links to religions of than Christianity. Moderator)

I recently stumbled upon something that repelled me in the form of the following story posted by a member of this forum:
An evangelist stopped at a gasoline station, and when the attendant finished filling his tank, he paid him and said, as was his custom, ?could I ask you for some directions??  ?Of course,? came the reply. ?I?d like to know how to get to heaven,? he said, to the attendant?s surprise. After a moment the reply came. ?Be good, sincere, try to do the best you can. No one can ask for more than that,? came the confident reply. To the attendant?s surprise, the evangelist looked shocked and nearly angry. His brow furrowed, he stared at the man and in a stern voice said, ?Man, I asked you the way to heaven, and you told me the direct way to hell! No one gets to heaven by trying to be good. People who trust in good works or sincerity are not good. On the contrary, they disbelieve and reject what God said. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, ?By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast?.?

Why would anyone would think like this is beyond me?
If this is the message given by the bible, I prefer the eastern traditions, as they seem to me far closer to the truth.

Regards...
   The Wanderling