Buchwald's Goodbye: Writing, Reminiscing (His Opus from Life)

Examiner ^ | 04/04/2006 | DARLENE SUPERVILLE,

[Responsibility2nd]

What a dignified way to go.

[AppyPappy]

Buchwald said people shouldn't be too concerned about where they will end up in death

It's that whole "burning in Hell for all of eternity" thing that concerns us.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

I guess burning in hell is not something Buchwald is concerned about. Oh well, what can you do?

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I guess burning in hell is not something Buchwald is concerned about. Oh well, what can you do?

Live a decent life anyway? Should be something everyone can do without being threatened with eternal torture.

[Antoninus]

Waiting for the end, Buchwald said people shouldn't be too concerned about where they will end up in death. What they should really be asking, he said, is "Why was I here in the first place?"

Generally speaking, the second question is directly relevant to the first. If an 80-year old man is still asking that second question, it's probably because he heard the answer at some point in his life and didn't like it.

I will pray that he is given the Grace to die a good death.

[Antoninus]

Should be something everyone can do without being threatened with eternal torture.

It's not a threat. People consciously choose hell every day.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

It's not a threat.

Sure it is. Believe in my god or else. But people should be able to live decent, moral lives without having to believe in "my god".

[SF Republican]

I guess burning in hell is not something Buchwald is concerned about. I believe he was a US Marine on Okinawa, he has been to hell.

[freepertoo]

It's not a religious question, actually. Hell is. Jesus was gracious enough to give us a way out. I think that was wonderful of Him.

[ClancyJ]

Great, he helps people all his life with his humor and he takes the need to consider where one spends eternity away from people facing death.

Just who made him God? Hope people don't listen to his statement. This is not all there is - 80 years on earth.

This is just the beginning.

[Antoninus]

Sure it is. Believe in my god or else.

Not at all. You can either believe in God or not at your discretion. Why should my belief that those who reject God end up separated from him for all eternity appear as a threat to someone who doesn't believe in God?

[Antoninus]

I believe he was a US Marine on Okinawa, he has been to hell.

No, that was purgatory...

[oh8eleven]

No, that was purgatory...
You must not know Marine Corps history.

[wizr]

Accepting Christ and living a life helping others, instead of living for "me", gives me peace.

Having watched my mother and sister die, I do not fear death or dying. It's just another door opening.

[AppyPappy]

Believe in my god or else.

Nonsense. You can choose not to believe. If you are wrong, well, what the Hell.

[RoadTest]

I agree with the freepers who are concerned about eternity. It's not "your god" but the one and only God, and eternity makes 80 years seem like a split second. They're right. Buchwald is wrong. If he doesn't know Jesus he's not ready to face the Judge of all men, no matter what they thought their religion was. God doesn't adjust reality to fit peoples' varied religious beliefs.

[Antoninus]

You must not know Marine Corps history.

I do. I also know Salvation history.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Not at all. You can either believe in God or not at your discretion. Why should my belief that those who reject God end up separated from him for all eternity appear as a threat to someone who doesn't believe in God?

The concept of hell as a permanent separation from God seems to be a fairly modern interpretation, and is not accepted by all Christians. Hell more often involves some sort of eternal physical torture chamber. Therefore, the threat doesn't come from your belief that non-believers will be separated from God for all eternity - the threat comes when missionaries and other Christians use eternal torture and pain to frighten people into following the tenets of their religion.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Nonsense. You can choose not to believe. If you are wrong, well, what the Hell.

I'm not sure why you consider my statement to be nonsense, since you just re-stated it.

[Antoninus]

Hell more often involves some sort of eternal physical torture chamber.

Uh, it's hard to describe hell as a physical torture chamber when those in it are not physical beings. Christ himself describes it as an "unquenchable fire where their worm dies not." In another passage, Christ describes the wicked rich man who shunned a poor beggar, Lazarus. After both of them die, the rich man finds himself in hell and sees Lazarus far off in the 'Bosom of Abraham' and says: "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, to cool my tongue: for I am tormented in this flame." Thus, Chrisitans who teach this doctrine are doing nothing more than passing on what Christ himself taught.

Therefore, the threat doesn't come from your belief that non-believers will be separated from God for all eternity - the threat comes when missionaries and other Christians use eternal torture and pain to frighten people into following the tenets of their religion.

Yeah, too bad all those docile, easily scared idiots aren't as smart as you.