well, i've got to thank you people for responding so thoughtfully to what was (in me) a somewhat knee-jerk reaction. y'see, i'm young yet (how young isn't important), actively pro-life, devoutedly catholic, and passionate about just about everything. i've been buddying around with friends who don't take my opinions seriously most of my life...i know how to dialogue, i've done a lot of it. i've also been brushed off more times than i care to count by people who assume they know what i'm thinking and why i'm thinking it. i've been told i'm brainwashed, intolerant and uncaring, bigoted, and hateful. I try very hard in all aspects of my life to be truly supportive of life, whatever stage it is in, and take seriously to tenets of my faith...but still the labels i should be proud of call to mind other labels which have nothing to do with me. I'm just tired of it, and i've come (in my time lurking) to expect so much from you guys (GG nonsense notwithstanding) that it got to me when a thought provoking thread on fostering and abandoned babies and suchlike turnes up some of the same sort of comments which i've heard directed against myself. when it comes down to it, i agree with a lot of you on a lot of things- being pro-life and pro-capital punishment *is* a contradiction in terms, and there are 'religious' people out there who are hypocrites. the world would be a better place if they weren't. There are also a lot of well meaning, genuine christians (and muslims and hindu, etc.) who are inconsistant because they're still learning, still growing...christ came, after all, for the sinners, right? a bumper sticker or news release will not tell you the state of someone's heart or the spot on the road they happen to be on... all i ask is some charity. and i'll try not to be so sensitive. deal?

my 2 cents

p.s. Praise, your posts are a pleasure to read. McGrath, thanks for saying what i should have said. you guys all rock!