JC-1,
I have been reading this thread for a couple of days now and really don't know where to begin my response to everything mentioned. First off, I am a Christian, and I am sorry to hear that other Christians have driven you away from the Lord. I believe the main problem with Christianity today is that so called 'Christians' are so hypocritical that they give 'Christ' and what it means to be a Christian, a bad name. The Bible even states in Matthew that few people will find the narrow path to heaven... “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” Matthew 7:21-23 NIV

I will pray for you daily and for Christians in general that they will live up to God's plan.

As for the verse in Matthew that you quoted about conflict, Jesus is trying to tell his followers that being a Christian isn't neccesarrily going to be easy. In the beginning of the chapter, Jesus is warning his disciples and is stating that He must be the most important thing in his followers' lives. Read the whole chapter and you will see what I mean.

"For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." John 3:17-18.

-Mike

PS - As for the original question in this topic. I will definitely thank the Lord the day I harvest my first buck (or doe for that matter).

Edited by - ncbloodhound on 11/17/2002 21:14:44