Actually Jack, you may have opened a can of worms. The usage of the term "jerk" is unfortunate because it closes the door to honest dialogue.

Jack, I never admitted to lying to you. That is really incendiary. All I did was apologize for not reading your first post. I finally read it and disagree with your interpretation of what it said.

I'll try to find the article I read on the new revelations regarding the theory of "nothingness" but why do I get the feeling you really wouldn't be interested and instead just want to score verbal points?

As for the monolithic role of religion, all you have to do is question it with a critical eye and you get the kind of reaction you have. It is monolithic in that it doesn't allow deviation from it premise that it is infallible. Now different people have different ideas about how it is infallible but the idea that it might not exist is anathema to those who are assured as to its infallibility. Religion has never allowed itself to be questioned as to its authenticity or reality by religious people. Belief is the basis for its infallibility.

Science, on the other hand is always changing and never couched in absolutes. It doesn't refer to itself as infallible, quite the opposite and theories that have been established are continually being challenged. Empirical evidence always guides it unlike religion.

Stim, I understand the old joke about when two Jewish men are in the room, there are ten different opinions. Judaism and its interpretation can be argued about but it is still a hypothetical religion that has no scientific basis for actualizing its premises. The Torah is a set of laws, some of which are useful today and others antiquated. The Talmud may be about arguing over the value of those laws as you say but if you question the validity of the Talmud or the Torah outside the realm of Judaism, you'll see the reaction you get.

I question the validity of all of it. I see religious people doing helpful and constructive things in their life in spite but not necessarily because of their belief systems.