Yup. The human race in general is just a not very well informed idiot with an opinion. We all know a little...very little...of what is out there to know. To admit that one only knows a little is a good start toward becoming genuinely human, and developing some degree of respect and understanding for other people, and not being threatened by the many differences of opinion that one encounters, but finding them instead quite interesting to think about and consider.

Jon - I understand that one can have "personal foundation for beliefs". For sure. That foundation arises out of one's culture, one's background, one's family, and one's own personal experiences and inner feelings. It's part of what we call "a sense of identity". Everyone has such a foundation of beliefs, opinions, habits, etc.

All these threads are usually really about is that everyone is out there defending his own personal foundation of belief, habit, and opinion. Yet most people are so pretentious as to think that their foundation is so superior that they must persuade everyone else in teh world to adopt it. That's a grievour error in human relations. It's an error made by those who proselytize religion aggressively...and it's an error made by those who attack religion aggressively. They are both out to change others, having the bizarre view that they can save those others from themselves by destroying the other person's present sense of identity and replacing it with their own.

That's tantamount to invading and conquering another person. It's like trying to exercise mind control by nental force. People don't like being invaded and conquered, and they will fight every inch of the way to defend their existing identity.

And that's perfectly understandable. A wise person doesn't invade someone else's sense of identity...their foundation of belief...and try to supplant it with his own. He listens to their explanation of their sense onf identity, learns whatever he can from it, and leaves them alone to be who they are. He neither surrenders his own identity nor attacks the identity of others, because he doesn't need to, and he knows it. He feels safe in a world of differences.

And that's how you would have a peaceful world....if people were wise enough to do that...but in a great many cases they are not. They'd rather be at war with what's different than live happily in a world with many different identities and forms of belief. The little murdering fascist lives inside every human being and says, "Attack, conquer, and convert or destroy all those who think differently. Make them see that there is only ONE right way to do everything...my way! They'll be grateful when they finally see the light."

That little fascist can be either religious or anti-religious, and it makes little difference, because whichever one he is, he still spills blood all over this world every day. He will not leave other people alone to just be who they are. He must change them. Well, he has no right to change anyone but himself.