>What's so bad about having a personal love-based relationship with the creator of the universe? I don't understand why people wouldn't line up around the block for this...

Nothings bad, if we knew he existed. There is no reason to accept his existence as truth. And if there was, I'm sure he'd rather have people living on his planet than spending their time kissing his ass. But thats just me.

>I had an older brother who was a junkie and for all that I know somewhere around 1967 he had his brains blown out because he used the drugs he was supposed to sell rather than selling them.

I am very sorry to hear that, and I hope you don't take offense to this, but I think if drugs were never illegal, he would still be with you today.

>Actually, Mike, "eternal life" is NOT a quantity of life; it's a quality of life.

Interesting statement...