"For heaven's sake, Billy," cried his mother, "you must stop asking so many questions. Curiosity killed the cat."

Billy sat quietly for as long as he could, but his mother had raised a real puzzle now. Mama," he finally said - "what did the cat want to know?"

I think it pays to be inquisitive, especially in matters of faith. Too often we settle for the easy - and shallow - answers.

Consider Oprah's recent show on "spirituality," which she said was not to be confused with "religion." There was talk about life, death, love, angels, and heaven - but her guests didn't want to talk "religion."

Actually, they didn't want to talk Christianity, although Oprah and her guests said they thought Jesus was a really good guy, and Oprah said she was especially fond of him.

But they didn't seem to like the church at all, and there was certainly no talk of sin, redemption, or any or that bloody business on a cross.

Plenty of talk about angels.

And light.

And reincarnation.

And angels again.

Now let me be clear. I'm fond or angels, too, but I see great dangers in the current "roll-your-own" religion fad.

And I really like Oprah, but her "spiritually" can be shallow. "New Age" faith lacks answers to questions concerning suffering and evil.

Because it lacks the Cross.

There is no answer to suffering and evil without the Cross.

So please! - be inquisitive.

When someone tells you they have a bright new shiny kind of faith with lots of angels and none of that sin and guilt and none of that church stuff - ask how they deal with questions of suffering and evil.

If they don't say "the Cross," they don't have an answer.

Just a denial.

I Love the apostle Paul's line: "The only thing I know is Christ, and him crucified."

Be in worship somewhere this Sunday. Life can be hard.

Without faith - it becomes impossible.