Thanks for you answers, Steve. I appreciate your directness, clarity, and brevity very much.
I hestitate to comment more, because I think you made a very satisfactory accounting for yourself, and I don't want to detract from that at all.

By asking my questions, i seem to have convinced Pete that I am one of the faithless and Godless, and, since you have expressed the idea that I am a creationist fundie, my work here may be done;-)