Do you think I need tolerance training?

Guys,

I have been posting to a conversation that went on with a postmodernist non-religious or at least non-churched person. The conversation was very flat with very little response to the arguments given in response to the rants against the church. Unfortunately, this is often the case with people who are angry at "church/religion/God"--they have stopped listening.

One posted response though was especially good. It was never responded to in its original context, but I wonder if you might field some of this guys questions or even go and post some conversation with Paul and his friend Patrick.

Patrick was railing against the fact that the church seemed to him to be exclusionistic. Here is Jeff's response:

What exactly is the definition of exclusion? Is exclusion the opposite of inclusion? Is inclusion universal because of the work of Christ? Do we sometimes try to interpret the teachings of Christ through our own definition of “righteousness?” Does God draw lines that demarcate inclusion and/or exclusion? Just how serious is God’s command to live without sin, and what defines sin? Can sin be quantified and qualified through tangible-visible manifestations? How do we respond to the answers to these questions…and what does the response look like?

I would love to be able to generate some discussion along these lines here. And maybe even send them along to Patrick. Or better yet, you could do that yourself!!