'My Take: Stop sugarcoating the Bible'
By: Gina Dalfonzo|Published: February 28, 2012 9:06 AM
"God’s message was not meant to be run through some arbitrary, holier-than-thou politeness filter. He intended the Bible to speak to people where they’re at, caught up in the stark reality of life on a fractured planet."
Read more:
Steven James, Belief Blog, CNN 
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I.e. that, “according to Jesus, the truly spiritual life is one marked by freedom rather than compulsion (John 8:36), love rather than ritual (Mark 12:30-33) and peace rather than guilt (John 14:27). Jesus saves us from the dry, dusty duties of religion and frees us to cut loose and celebrate.”
But I would add, in the spirit of iron sharpening iron, that there is still compulsion (1 Cor 9:16).
There is still ritual (Matt 6:2-17).
There is still guilt (Gal 2:11; 1 John 1:8-9).
There are still the dry, dusty duties of religion (John 13:14; James 1:27).
But the difference, the miraculous Philosopher’s Stone that transforms all these base metals into pure, eye-popping, precious-gorgeous gold is the knowledge – nay, the assurance – that we don’t do these things in order to BE accepted; we do them because we ARE accepted in the Beloved (Eph 1:6).
Sorry, but I didn’t want leave any trace of sugarcoat – except where it belongs: on that Manna (Bread of Heaven) that tastes like wafers and honey (Ex 16:31). And now, I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna go party.