I have been following this thread with interest, if not occasional alarm. I am pleased that Amos and Dave's Wife have acquited themselves so well. I was a little bit worried for a while...

I have always had an affinity for "fringe" beliefs, and always give people as much time as I can to tell me about what they believe and why. I wish that more people would do that--I think there would be a lot less trouble if people made it their objective to understand, rather than to argue or "expose"--

At any rate, I've met some interesting people, some of whom later came to rather bad ends--I have found it much easier, over time, to find compassion for them, despite their human failings, than to have sympathy for their antagonists--