Nickhere, I do not take issue that we are in a most unfortunate and unpleasant predicament concerning our better natures, and our perfectly right and natural human inclination to wish to think the best of kind, generous and neighbourly gestures.

I think what makes certain areas where we might otherwise be guided by natural inclination or if you will 'common sense' so immensely difficult and therefore requiring legislation and strict guidelines, is where we have knowledge from experience and evidence, that certain individuals and groups (some of which are religious) knowingly and consciously use those innocent human feelings against us, in order to cynically further their own agenda.

Personally I don't care whether it's a life insurance salesman pressuring a conscientious husband, a 'timeshare' crook targeting an elderly couples pension fund, a double glazing salesman who won't leave till a young Mum signs his form, or an evangelical Christian who is 'kindly' offers to pray for you... They've all been to the same seminar on how to hoodwink and decieve people, how to get their foot into the door and then how to maximise their leverage over you by making the most of your gullabillity. It's all the same cynical abuse of good nature and our unguarded better instincts.

In fact I agree with Ron Davis below, much as I am not a fan of some of his other comments. It's not 'religion' per se that is at fault, but the abuse of religion. And it's the cynical agendas of a minority of Christians, who take advantage of our 'common sense' instincts, who give Christianity and Christians a bad bloody name IMO.