by J. Randal Matheny

You're sophisticated. Financially and socially advanced. Studied philosophy, sociology, or science in the university. Are respected by your friends and colleagues for your wit, intellect, or business acumen.

The furtherest thing from your mind is religion, because you consider it irrelevant at best, or downright harmful. Easiest thing in the world to brush off. The name Jesus causes you to curl your upper lip. The thought of opening the Bible leaves you cold.

You're in control of your life. You set your own standards. You choose your causes and determine your own rules. You may even contribute time and money to an issue important to you.

Your life is centered on the here-and-now. Not much thought about life down the road. Certainly no consideration, other than perhaps an occasional twinge in the back of your mind, to what happens after death. You probably tell yourself that at death it's all over.

But do you know for sure?

And what if -- and this is a big if -- what if someone came back from the dead to say there's more. Much more. So much more that it makes this life pale in comparison. But to find it, you have to prepare for it.

The "if" isn't actually so big. It's a proven fact, and people have set out time and again to debunk it, only to convince themselves of its truth.

Why not check it out for yourself? You know the crowd just might be wrong about a thing or two.

Pick up a Bible, against your natural inclinations, and read any of four accounts, Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. And be ready for a shock.

You've heard the religionists say their piece. Lots of them are just parroting their superiors, who are handing down what they got from their human authorities. Lots of them have got it wrong, and you can tell that without knowing hardly anything of what's popularly called Christianity.

Why not get it from the horse's mouth?

After all, you're sophisticated and intelligent.