I am not a bar fighter. I try to present reasonable arguments without rancor or judgements. I maintain that no child is born into the world with a predilection
for any religion or spirituality. It is acquired either through indoctrination or individual searching when a child is old enough to make up his mind.

"So you are hinting that believers have something wrong with their brains and believers do not? I feel so much better about that!!"

I didn't say something was wrong. I said there is a change. A lot depends on the intensity or orientation of the belief. Fundamentalists do measure differently.

" Here is how it happened with Dr. de Waal...
I never felt any attraction to religion and never talked to God or felt a special relationship. After I left home for the university, at the age of seventeen, I quickly lost any remnant of religiosity."

Dr.de Waal did indeed examine his view of religion and found it wanting.


"What has he accomplished in science?"

You would have to read one of Dawkin's books to find out. He is the inventor of the term "meme" which has found its way into contemporary lexicon. He, like de Waal has studied animal behavior and has achieved respect in the scientific community. He is essentially an ecologist and a proponent of Darwin and explains that very well in his books. His newest book "The Greatest Show on Earth" helps the lay person to understand Darwin and interpret "The Origins of the Species".




"If you are implying that I am entrenched in emotional problems. I can assure you that I am not."

I never implied anything of the sort.

"Most people rarely if ever use the phase "Christian children". "

Not true. There are many religious hate groups that have used the phrase as well as many mainstream churchgoers.

"He means somebody or something has to be your master, That you have to look to some higher authority."

I know what he means. If the higher authority is a mystical, folkloric or incorporeal god that can't be verified as to its existence, then to give it authority is delusional.

"With a choice of de Waal's opinion and yours on brain science, I'll always choose his."

This is totally unfair. At no time did de Waal offer any opinion on brain science as to religion except that morality is a natural development from the "ground up"
rather than the "top down" as invested in a god. It's part of the DNA survival mechanisms that predate religion.

"Whether he gets the respect he deserves is another matter."

Everyone deserves respect as a person and a response that is civil, rational and intelligent. That doesn't mean that the ideas of that person deserve equal respect.
Sarcastic, vituperative, smart remarks do nothing to enhance a conversation.

The only higher power worth worshiping is a person's perception and intelligence and moral and social awareness and sensitivity.