This is nice!

One of the facets of being 50-ish is that some persons lose all concern about what others think. I've noticed myself becoming a little teeny weeny bit abrasive on occasion and, yes, we should probably do something about that.
At the same time, one of the things I've been running into recently, is a tenet which many people seem to treat as Holy Writ. It's the eleventh commandment - Thou shalt be nice.
I'm going to be politically incorrect and say "ptuii!"
Are "niceness" and charity synonymous?
I have some dear friends here who are not Christian. They belong to a different world religion altogether, but they are often saying that for them, it's enough if a person is nice and easy to get along with. That's all that matters. But Jesus said "You must be perfect to get to Heaven." Was He kidding, or exaggerating or something? I believe that many people all over the world get to Heaven by doing their best, even if they have never heard of Jesus. That is not the same thing. There are many people who have heard the Truth, but do not stand up for it, do not proclaim it, pretend that it's more important to get along with everyone than to help people to see the Truth. Someone said there's a problem with having a mind so open that all one's brains are falling out.
First, is there a God? Then, is there a Heaven? Then, if we know there is, does charity require us to tell people about it? If people disagree, should we then say "Well, it doesn't matter if it's not your truth?" How can something be my truth and not be your truth?
I know what Uncle Digory would say.*


*This is a reference to The Magician's Nephew, by C.S. Lewis "Logic - what do they teach in these schools!"