"I think it would be safe to say that the "average athiest" is more into prosyletizing then the "average theist"

Which would be incredibly close-minded, ignorant, and just plain offends me. Where did that bit of prejudice come from!? I suspect the average atheist avoids getting involved in disucssions like this, so you won't even know they're there. This one thinks this war is idiotic, assinine, annoying and something people with serious inadequacy issues keep getting involved in.

I was raised a Methodist. I'm glad of it, since my church was one that encouraged questions. I asked, I learned, and I came to different conclusions than others. I hid these for years, MMario, because to a lot of people, an atheist is an immoral person. I still avoid talking about my own beliefs because I'm afraid religious people will think I don't like them or respect them for their beliefs. I've had friends who were Christians of different sorts, Wiccans, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, New-Agers (?), agnostics, atheists, and probaby some I can't think of right now.

What matters is how people act towards me and others. WHY they act that way, where the GOOD comes from, doesn't matter.

I suspect the majority of posters in this thread should just find a ruler, whip 'em out and get it the hell over with.

As for doorknockers bringing their kids, it sounds like they use them as human shields, thinking people will act nicer if there's a kid there. They don't come to my house anymore. They were here once, and I told them I wasn't interested, talked to them nicely... for almost an hour. They had no kids with them, but it was winter, and their car was running.