""people sometimes 'believe what they want to believe'... and that some of these quasi-beliefs are minor, personal idiosyncrasies, rather tahn the kind that can disrupt all of society.""

Well yes, if course-this has been stated many times (in other ways)by others in the throughout the religious discussions/threads, including by Joe O.

If such beliefs are personal and "minor", as to influence on others, a question-why do some agressive, anti-religion types, make such a big deal about what other people personally believe (including ridiculing them)? At afminimum, the beliefs are possibly of some personal value to them as artifacts of their early up-bringing?

Let's be clear, I in no way refer to folks like Pete 7*, who openly challenges science from a religious perspective, for what seems to be a clear purpose of attracting a response of this nature.