The Dialogue session

I tagged along to my friend's event today.
It was about Christianity and knowing God better.

I met this fellow who was a twin
of this other person that I knew.
He was surprised that I didn't go:
'You must be joking, man.'
when he told me that he was more than that person's friend.
I guess I have evolved into a more gullible/
less assumptions sort of person.
Which is what I have been working towards.
So woots to me!

There was this story from Luke 18:9-14.
It was about a Pharisee (akin to a monk) who thought that he was better than other people since he was good. It was also about a tax collector (someone deemed bad by the olden society, linked to corruption) who said: 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' Thereafter, it was deemed that the tax collector had a right relationship with God.

Apparently, Jesus died on the cross
to bear all humanity's sins
so that all of his creations could avoid eternal judgement;
for if we were to bear our own sins, we would be condemned to eternal judgement,
a sentence once laid, can never be taken back again and will lay amongst the fires of hades.
Hence, everyone was salvaged and given a second chance then.

I like the concept of trust that was elaborated on.
Trust in God (am going to exclude the do not place too much trust in yourself part out.)
Trust means believing in another.
Something that I have come to find, difficult to do.

There was this one question that was quite thought provoking:
If you died and went up to heaven, wherever that is,
and God asked you:
'Why should I let you in?'
What exactly would be your answer?

Well, I'll probably give him a stroke with my reply:
'Well, can you tell me why instead? You know better. Should I be let in?'

According to a few others,
you can't accidentally stumble upon God.
It doesn't work that way, they say.
So this means that even if I strive to do my best in life
by being as humane as I can without ulterior motives,
living life with a slight consent to the notion of a superior being,
I would not be able to unintentionally form a subconscious relationship with the One, would I?
Hmm.

People say that God is forgiving and just.
God is slow to anger, and has abundant love for everyone.
However, why is there such a punishment as eternal judgement where one can never be saved even if he or she repents then?
Doesn't everyone deserve more than a second chance?

I like Praying by Mary Oliver.
It doesn't have to be the blue iris,
it could be weeds in a vacant lot,
or a few small stones;
Just pay attention
then patch a few words together
and don't try to make them elaborate;
this isn't a contest but the doorway into thanks,
and a silence in which another voice may speak.