If peace broke out tomorrow...

[A Black Falcon]

I never denied that there is some power in belief. Like as I said, disease... oh often it doesn't help but it can make a difference. Now that isn't necessarially religious belief, but it most often is... or (as your example shows) it helps with guidance... now I'd argue that often that isn't good guidance, but much of that is opinion (however much I disagree with said opinions). I'm no psychologist or anything but you say that you came back to god or something and your life improved... i don't know, mental state? Certainly sounds reasonable to me based on that...

Anyway, that's why I respect your non-belief, because you're like me: I don't care if everyone else believes (or doesn't). Believers who act like Darunia, on the other hand, were the missionaries, crusaders and inquisitors. And with the exception of the passive missionaries, no one has much good to say about those kinds of people.

I say, let me believe what I want and I'll extend you the same courtesy. When you write long posts about why my belief is bullshit, you're not convincing me at all, you are simply trying to affirm your own disbelief, and you can do that in private.

I'm not trying to convert you, because I know you'd never listen... just trying to say what I see as why belief in deities is a major factor in human existance... and that is obviously a major historical and psychological question that I'd say is interesting, which is why I wrote some long posts on it. It wasn't just for you or anything. :)

Oh, and I don't like it when people try to push their religion onto others, as I have said before. Feel free to believe what you want but I don't want it pushed on to me... but we've been over that one several times before. What is funny is how when I say it about Bush talking about God you act offended but when you say it about me talking about how to explain away religion, you take it as sensible... :)