Littlehawk and Brucie, I was trying, in my own absurd way, to interject a bit of lightness into an otherwise depressing subject (and, as these things tend to become, a FAITH decision).
As an atheist, I don't share your hopes of an afterlife or a reincarnation - and if it does happen, there will be noone more surprised than I! (If I had to come back as another creature, my choice would be a squirrel - they seem to have more fun than most other free creatures)
How egotistical and selfish mankind is to have created a God who will take care of us after we die on the strength of the teachings of a few people from the distant (and confusingly reported) past promulgated by those (kings, priests and other "Highborn" who would lord it over the common people) who stood most to gain from a belief in such a deity. "Religion is the opiate of the masses!" indeed.
In fact I am so laid back about the whole religion thing that I am happy that people find comfort in it.
I just wish they would not try to change my rights not to believe and not try to conscript me and/or my sons/daughters into their holy crusading armies.
Littlehawk, I am human and a deeply pensive creature, but when I read some of the posts here, I begin to despair for the species. In the last hundred years we have gone from the horse and cart to exploration of the moon (human) and the planets (machine) but though our technology leaps ahead, our theological thinking is stuck two milenia behind. However, I did enjoy your encouragement to "Rock On!' And do send me Shane's address - he sounds like someone in whose company I could seriously destroy many brain cells.
Brucie, the industrial spoils of the earth are already sucked up by major corporations - my "spoils" are derived from the farming of the land and the planting and reaping of those fine grains (barley, etc.) that may be malted and converted into fine beers and liquors and grapes that may be fermented into wine.
And finally, Brucie, ignoring the retinitis part, once I have consumed enough of these beers, liquors and wines, my anus has a really difficult time retaining very much.