The old truism that "science is not democratic" is a two-edged sword.

Anyway, doubting is certainly different from denying, thanks for making the distinction.

Smokey, you are absolutely right that no-one said that. SOmetimes the sterner characters on these threads seem to be drifting pretty close, though; and the underlying point is still amusing. I wasn't aiming it at anyone in particular.

The reference to "billions" was actually worded as follows:

"But nearly a billion Hindus and a half-billion Buddhists Ñ not to mention the ancient Greeks, certain Jews and a few Christians Ñ have for thousands of years believed something entirely different. Theirs is, as the theologians say, a cyclical view. You are born. You live. You die. And because nobodyÕs perfect, your soul is born again Ñ not in another location or sphere, and not in any metaphorical sense, but right here on earth."


Of course there's a nasty bit of embedded baggage in the expression "your soul" is "born again". It sort of implies there is a difference between the "I" and the "soul of the I". I dunno if that's a distinction with a difference or not.

A