Dear Mike

JR>Selfishness is only compatible with survival once you are rich enough that co-operation is optional.
MH>I disagree. So would anyone else who understands the selfish gene theory of evolution.

So why are there "herds", "flocks", "troupes", "prides", "gaggles" and "tribes"? I guess these co-operative communities haven't heard how the "selfish gene theory" proves they'd be better off not co-operating.

If you accept that "the essence of civilisation is specialisation" then you need a co-operative community to ensure specialists (weavers, metal-workers, builders, runners, fire-makers) can eat. Only once production is so great that all members of a community are no longer part of the survival effort, can selfishness as we see today be compatible with survival.

>>And I agreed that churches will be around for a while. I also added that so will war, ignorance, and arrogance. The longevity of an established body says absolutely nothing about the worth of a good or service, simply the stability of the entity.<<

Have you ever volunteered for a soup kitchen or arranged kids books or warm clothing for a single-parent family of 5 that has had to go without? I think you'll find that the churches you attack do more than worry about poverty and injustice, they are fairly concrete in their attempts to do good. Because they do not make a big song and dance about it, you will be unaware how many US church communities have built hospitals and schools that have transformed whole regions in the 3rd world.

I assume you plan to take all this over since churches are so awful? Or perhaps you are glad that the church will survive all its current assailants?

Regards

JR