Alex,

>>You weren't thinking of me were you?? Hmmm?? <g>
>Maybe one of 'em <g>
>
>>Won't do you any good. <g> God loves you whether you like it or not... <g>
>Does she?
>
>
>>Seriously Alex, I'd love to chat with you or anyone else about this stuff but I will NOT try and play the kind of games some of the folks I know who do - and give Christianity a worse representation that they should. Sadly there are some real goofballs out there. Just don't think they only reside within Chrisendom. I know some wildly extremist close-the-ears athiests as well. <g>
>
>I know some too. Of course they do not reside only in Christendom! There is little difference between Fundamentalists, be it Moslem, Christian, Jewish or whatnot. I do not know that many atheists. I guess there are some close-the-ears there too. I do know some agnostics and atheists though, and the ones I know are pretty rational an open minded. I am too if I see an independent testable proof of being wrong, then I can be convinced to change my views to the current understanding of the matter. That's skepticism, that everybody, and of course every man of science, should have a modicum of. But that is another thread.

Righto.

What essentially 'gets' me seems to be similar to what 'gets' you. That is, unthinking adherence to a dogma. That's what I'd call religion. As a Christian I assert that a personal relationship is possible, not some silly set of man-made rules. Defineable, discoverable and rational to the extreme - but not mindless whatsoever. While I am of the opinion that there is far more statistical, historical, cultural and other hard evidence for my position at no point am I of the opinion that one should stop thinking and asking questions. Sadly there are far too many sincere folks who don't get this, though I must point out that the whole 'leap of faith' notion has roots in existentialism, not the Historic Christian position. <g> Even though Christendom has for the most part adopted it as a 'truth'. :(

The problem I've encountered is the classic one where others close their minds and accuse me of being close-minded. Bigots who see others as bigoted. And so forth. We all do it to some degree.

Let's be candid.. Most folks put their pride before the evidence. Imagine, someone willing to do that.. Where they'd rather be wrong for pride's sake. Makes no sense to me.