Darn right I've been a name-caller, Steve Shaw. When I see intolerance, I name it. And you have deserved the name on many occasions.

Anti-religious intolerance has reared its ugly head in Northern Europe and the U.S. many times in the last 500 years. The so-called "enlightened" people have enacted anti-religious laws in England, France, Mexico, and other nations from time to time - and the rhetoric of some here at Mudcat sounds very much like that used in the enactment of those laws.

I have respect for most atheists, and find a kinship with most of them in believing that non-ideological, critical thinking is essential. In fact, I feel far more comfortable with most atheists, than I do with conservative religious people. But there are a few atheists, and Mr. Shaw is a prime example, who share the rigid, moralistic, judgmental thinking of the most fundamentalist of the religious people. If you're an absolutist, if you can't allow for the value of a diversity of perspectives, then I can't talk with you - and you, Mr. Shaw, are among the most rigid and intolerant of absolutists.

Do I make myself clear?

Well, nice angry post, Joe. Keeping your cool means keeping your head. I recommend the approach.

As I recall, Joe, you are very uneasy indeed with anyone criticising your religious nature, if not your religion, which you do seem to be a somewhat reluctant member of at times. You are uncomfortable with anyone criticising your attitude to religious anti-education in schools, feeling as you do that there isn't much wrong with little kiddies being taught myth as certainties (with your excuse that they are actually being introduced to "deeper truths", whilst sitting under wall-mounted crucifixes). You don't care for people (or maybe you do, but you refrain from defending them, let's say) who suggest that you should let children choose their own path in life rather than have them brainwashed almost from birth. You feel that the whole cosy social-religious thing is so valuable that it overrides the need to tell children the truth instead of a pack of lies.

Yet I'm the bigot and I'm the absolutist. Define "bigot" and "absolutist": someone who seriously invades Joe's comfort zone, perhaps? Tell you what, Joe. Quote any post or piece of post of mine that demonstrates bigotry. Quit chucking the words around, hoping that at least a little bit of mud might stick (as if I give a toss, to be honest) and either piss or get off the pot. And be like me in at least one regard: stay cool, old chap. Hope this helps.