Steamin' willie asks: But as science slowly chisels away at the basis of belief, the question now has to be asked, "Will the idea of allegory supersede literal thought, or is religion becoming less important and more threatening to most people?"

Willie, I suppose you're assuming that the "basis of belief" is information about the origins of existence, the "creation stories." But is that what faith is all about, simply to discover our origins?

I don't think so. I think some "religious" people get obsessed with possessing Truth (and thus possessing Power), but maybe that's not the primary basis of religion. The obsession with creation misses the point of faith, which I believe is an exploration and appreciation of the meaning of existence. One way to do this is through the various religious traditions and practices, but there are certainly many valid non-theistic ways of doing this exploration.

But I come from a religious tradition, and I find that tradition brings rich meaning to my life. And the center of meaning for me, is what I call God.

-Joe-