the basic message #E310
10/28/04
I've been writing the "basic message" for many years now, and quite frankly, I really don't know who reads this stuff. Today I looked at statistical information provided by the people I pay for hosting this website, and I learned some surprising facts. It seems that Calvin and Hobbs draw more attention to this site than God or Jesus Christ. Imagine that, God having to take a backseat to Calvin and Hobbs. I guess the search engines get bombarded with people looking for Calvin and Hobbs bumper stickers, and I happen to benefit from those searches. If you're looking for a sticker, you've probably already decided that you hit the wrong button. Maybe you did, then maybe again this is what some Bible-thumpers called "dee-vine intervention".
First of all, I learned that I didn't even spell Hobbes correctly. Apparently many of you can't spell it either, so I don't feel so bad. That aside, if you'd like to read the original basic message about the Calvin and Hobbs bumper sticker, please go to http://www.basicchristian.com/e65Jesusfishcalvinandhobbs.html
Although you won't find the comic strip characters here, you will find an unusual approach to religion. I try pretty hard to keep the hype out of the weekly messages that appear on our website, and I think there is a vast audience out there that's searching for some honesty in religion. While there are millions of people who apparently prefer the "easy believism" rhetoric coming from pulpits like Dr. Charles Stanley, there are just as many who, like myself, feel that Stanley's teachings on Christianity are "too good to be true". That's because they are. You can read about Charles Stanley and Intouch Ministries in many of my other weekly messages, but please don't get the wrong impression- I'm not here to bash anyone, but I certainly won't back away from offering the reader another viewpoint. I might also mention that the thoughts I express here are either backed up by specific Bible passages, or I will otherwise point out that I'm expressing an opinion.
You'll find all sorts of topics on basicchristian, including "Can Christians Divorce?", "Will I go to Heaven if I commit suicide?", "When does God approve of war?", "Christian diversity", "Is speaking in tongues real?", "Becoming a pastor", and the list goes on and on. If you have a question that isn't addressed here, send me an email and I'll do my best to research the Bible and get an answer back to you. If I don't know the answer, or if I'm unsure, I'll tell you up front. Many pastors have egos that seem to prevent them from ever saying, "I don't know". We live in a big, complicated world, so I have no problem at all saying, "gee, I'm stumped on this question".
If you ran a search on Calvin and Hobbs, or more correctly "Hobbes", and you're still reading this, maybe you're searching for something a bit more important in life. May I be of service? My name is John, and I'll help in any way I can.