To:	All
From:	Rey Hinckley

Dear friends,
	I am writing to offer a different way to look at Christianity that may make 
Christianity more understandable.

	I have spent a long time developing this line of thought regarding the life and 
death of Jesus.  I have been involved Pax Christi, the Catholic Peace movement for 
serveral years.  During the Vietnam conflict I made a moral decision to object to war 
because of my religious up bringing.  

	In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his followers to love their enemies to 
pray for their persecutors, to forgive and not to resist injury.  Having accepted the 
teachings of Jesus as "Gospel" and Jesus as God's son, I can not question his authority 
to correct the way we perceive God.  I also can not question his ability to give new laws 
where old one are flawed.

	When Jesus told his followers to love their enemies, he didn't give us a time 
frame when this "commandment" would be obsolete.

	As I see the life of Jesus I can't see how Jesus could have opted to defend 
himself even if his death was not God's will.  Having told us to love our enemies and not 
to resist injury I can not see how Jesus could have acted any other way at his trial and 
death.  I also can not see how God could have forced anyone to push for the death 
penalty against Jesus as this would have violated the concept of free will.  Maybe we 
have given the impression that because Jesus' death was predictable (looking at the 
prophets one might predict that Jesus would be treated in a similar manner).  This has 
opened more areas to say that because something has happened it is God's desire.

	The idea that Jesus was sent to be an offering doen't make sense if we believe 
that Jesus was God.  By killing Jesus, ending his existence on this plane of existence 
has no real impact on things since God could resurrect even the normal person.  

	Jesus' death should be viewed as the event that it was, an attempt to silence him 
so that his message would not be taken seriously.  It was an act of barbarism and not 
one conducted in a religious setting.

	If anyone wishes to respond to this I welcome your comments.

						Sincerely,	
						Rey Hinckley
						7518 Barringer Road
						Baton Rouge, La. 70817