I don’t believe in religion, just like Andrew Haynes doesn’t, as he detailed in his Thursday column, “Atheists, agnostics retain good morals.”

I do, however, believe in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I’ll explain the contrast.

Religion is a set of beliefs, an institution. It’s man doing everything he can to get to God. But salvation (a relationship) is where God reaches out toward us. The former is futile. “God” takes the initiative in the latter. It leads to truth.

I agree with Haynes in that all during history the mystery of God has been linked to much misery on this Earth.

But Christianity shouldn’t be judged by the actions of those who profess to follow it. The human heart is hopelessly fallible.

Rather, it should be judged by the character and actions of whom it’s founded upon: Jesus Christ. Because just how corruption leaks through politics, it seeps through faith as well.

As far as good morals are concerned, I applaud Haynes’ willingness to do right just because it’s right. But, I must ask, where did that compassion, “innate in the human spirit” come from?

Because our Creator wired us all with a moral compass (i.e., a conscience) we, thus, have the natural ability to tell right from wrong. But there’s much more to following God than just being able to discern good from evil.

Personally, I follow Christ because He gives peace, hope and meaning in life, as well as understanding. I would answer yes to Haynes’ questions – that Noah repopulated the earth, that Jesus was born of a virgin, that the earth is 6,000 years old and that a snake enticed Eve to eat the apple. I have the faith to believe that they’re true. It takes faith to believe in the supernatural – just like it takes faith to believe that we all actually evolved from a common ancestor, rather than being made from a common Maker. Sedans and SUVs are structured alike because man created both.

But I now have a few questions for Haynes: Do you never wish that you could live forever; or wonder to yourself, “is this all there is to life,” when thinking about the world? Do you never wish for something bigger than yourself to hope in?

There’s much more to life than what we see.

Our ultimate meaning comes from being connected to our Creator. If I invented something novel, and never told anyone it’s purpose, no one would know that information but me.

In the same way, we were made with purpose. And until you’ve met the One responsible for your existence, you will never really know why you’re here.

I leave you with a quote from Sir Isaac Newton, a great thinker who first used mathematics to explain the cosmos: “Atheism is so senseless. When I look at the solar system, I see the earth at the right distance from the sun to receive the proper amounts of heat and light. This did not happen by chance.”

- Tyrone Rivers is a variety staff writer for The Red & Black.