How can anyone be a moderate Christian?

[TreasonousBastard]

14. A lot of us don't buy the hell thing. Christianity had...

most of its roots in Judaism, which doesn't accept Hell as a place, rather it's a state of being ignored by God, or some such thing. "Modern" notions of hell as a place of punishment seem to have come about during medieval times and then codified by Dante in his hallucination.

As to other strange beliefs in Christianity, or any other religion, the concept of mystery is discounted by many who consider themselves rational thinkers. There is no proof either way of any God's existence, so one is perfectly free to believe in one. If one does believe, the concept of god pretty much by definition means that god is inscrutable to us. Just as our dogs don't know all of what what we're doing when we drive a car, it's enough for them that a car trip often enough fun-- unless it's to the vet. Our dogs also are quite capable of learning to do things that please us and and have some understanding of mutual love between us and our pets. But they can't do algebra or build a house.

If we believe in a God, it's a God we don't fully understand, or what would be the point of a God who is as simple as us? God could even simply be a being of the fourth of fifth dimension that we are incapable of actually seeing, much less understanding.

Few of us would consciously consider ourselves God's pets, but that might be the most rational way to look at the relationship between ourselves and God.

(If there is one)