Tracy,

> P.S.  Humourus query:  What's the biblical punishment for a false prophet?

In the book of Revelations (20:10), the devil was tossed headlong into the
lake of fire and brimstone, the same lake where the beast and the false
prophet had been deposited earlier (19:20), to be tormented day and night for
ever and ever.

Of course, this isn't the only mention of false prophets in the Bible. The
four gospels spend a great deal of their time trying to authenticate the word
of Jesus over all the other comers -- and Mark gets downright cranky about
you (and the elect) listening to anyone else by saying that the consequences
shall be that, "the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her
light, and the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven
shall be shaken."

If you read the Bible closely enough it's sometimes difficult to remember
that the primary message Jesus left was one of hope, charity, tolerance and
faith.

Nonetheless, those are the primary values that are to be celebrated,
especially now, during Christmas.

Wirt Atmar