> Actually, the Apostle Paul said that those who don't
> know Jesus but still
> lead their lives after his teachings would be
> allowed into his kingdom.
> Seems to me a good reason to walk around with your
> ears covered and yell "I
> can't hear you!!!" to all the missionaries that come
> to your island. That
> way, you can be a nice guy and go to heaven, without
> having to deal with all
> the meatless Fridays and rosaries and tithing and
> 3-bean casserole dinners.

Paul isn't quite so clear on this subject as that...
forgive me a little ad hoc Bible study...

ROMANS 10:9-15 NIV
That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"


If Paul really believed as you describe, I imagine he
would have sat around in Jerusalem or Antioch and
broken bread for the rest of his life. Instead he went
on four long missionary journeys and endured
shipwrecks, beatings, stonings, starvation,
imprisonment, and finally execution for his preaching
and his refusal to worship Caesar or any Roman god.

The very word "apostle" is a transliteration from the
Greek which means "messenger" or "one who is sent."

Sorry, I guess I have my Baptist Fun Shield on this
afternoon :)