Congratulations, GfS and Ake. You win!

No, not the discussion. Not on your bogus data. Not on your convoluted use of illogic. Not on your wit and charm. No, not at all. You win on sheer bull-headed endurance. And the realization that not all the substantiated scientific data in the world will ever change your minds (Flat Earth syndrome).

But at least sparring with you two has given me a good look at the kind of shoddy data, tangled reasoning, and sham studies (including that video denying the genetic connection, which leaves out a crucial piece of information that would negate the message of the video) that I will be meeting in my endeavors in the real world. Thanks for the exercise.

Rather than wasting my time here trying to reason with people, one of whom can't even get my name right, and all of whom a filled to the gills with acrimony and display all the potential for opening-mindedness of tree stumps, I'm going to use my time and energy to lend my support to the cause of same-sex marriage in my state. The law has been passed by the legislature, but the goons are gathering to get up a California-style referendum, so I'm talking with my local state legislator (who lives just a couple of blocks away when he isn't in Olympia, the state capital, and who goes to the same church my wife and I do—and who voted for the same-sex marriage bill) to find out what I can do in the real world to help block the referendum and get the bill permanently adopted. I've already talked to him once, but I'm meeting him again tomorrow at coffee hour after church.

Besides, a wise old uncle once told me, "Young man, don't waste your time arguing with a bull that has diarrhea. He can produce it much faster than you can shovel it away."

Don Firth

P. S. I may look in from time to time to see if this thread is still going. As I said before, it's well past its "sell-by" date.