Iona:   " And it still comes back to the question: what is good and evil? Who defines it? For the Buddhist, you 'create your own reality', and that includes your morals--what you believe to be good or bad. The atheist is in the same boat, since there is no 'higher authority' to define good and evil. The ultimate authority is the human mind, which we all know to be finite. (at least, I'm assuming we all know that......"

I believe that there is an objective reality. Contrary to the teachings of the Buddha, I have no reason (evidence) to believe otherwise. How we perceive that reality and interpret what we perceive is the question. If you believe, not what you perceived and reason out, but someone else's "revealed truth," you are removing yourself at least one step from what IS. And that can be hazardous!

And like it or not, Iona, the same thing applies to Christians. All Christians. Some get it and are fine with it. But others are willing to accept someone else's "Revealed Truth," and they are usually the ones who go around desperately trying to get others to agree with them—in order to verify their own beliefs.

The nature of Reality is not a matter of popular vote.

Don Firth