Susan,

So convince me. But it's going to take more than a rehash of what you feel (which I can't) and what you believe (which I don't). I'm always willing to discuss it, but when I do I put out the best argument I can and so far I haven't had anyone who could convince me. And I come from a long line of ministers on my father's side (mostly Presbyterian, a few Baptists), a Jewish mother who was raised as a German Lutheran, grew up with a Presbyterian assembly grounds, married a devout Catholic and spent a lot of time arguing the points in philosophy and religion classes in university and grad school.

Kat...

I have a copy of that book, just haven't gotten around to it because I've been spending every recreational moment with my music lately.

Can't disagree with you about a cosmic force, but I do think it's pretty irrelevant to daily life unless you want to create it to look and act like you and then feel like you're special. (That's a generic "you," BTW — not flaming you personally.)

One other thing that crosses my mind every once in a while is how most (no actual names here and none implied) believers find non-believers' ideas offensive, but are shocked if they're told their ideas may be offensive too.

I guess that's just the comfort of being in the "normal" population and having difficulty with giving the outsiders an even shot.

david