*pulling out my own soap-box* Well, as one of the generally very silent minority (as a non-believer, I've more than once discerned the tar and feathers at the ready), I must agree with both of you, at least in practice if not underlying principle. I fail to see how true tolerance and compassion for differing beliefs can be a fact of life as opposed to one of those 'do as I prescribe, not as I do' platitudes, when far too many people seem to believe that their way is the RIGHT way and the ONLY way. Far too many trot out the symbols of their particular belief, and expect them to be more sanctified than the generally more compassionate and understanding teachings promulgated at the core of their religion. Well I remember, as a very young and impressionable child, being told that my parents were doomed to hell because they weren't Catholics, and the only hope for my own soul was to become a Catholic. I don't recall any of the elders in Mother's Friends Meeting issuing such a condemnation, but then Quakers are rather special in some ways.... That left a durable impression - that regardless of the basis for a sect (ok, I'll admit that some of the splinter groups can be a bit extreme at base), far too often the focus was on building parishioner counts and bank deposits than actually worrying about people's souls, as it were. Were we, as a people, to put individual conscience and responsibility at the fore, and not carefully garb ourselves and our fellow citizens in a plethora of religious symbols/labels/stereotypes, I am confident that we would increase our resilience as a people, better able to adjust to the changes nearly any future view presents. * To join/leave the list, search archives, change list settings, * * etc., please visit http://raven.utc.edu/archives/hp3000-l.html *