it's interesting that we can work up sixteen pages of ranting on a subject that's been ranted on for two thousand years but we can't seem to get people to take a couple minutes to actually a few things to make the world a little better for someone else.
though i did appreciate the mentioning of my former (and future.. but half the women) jack tripper lifestyle.
still, can't avoid throwing my two cents in: for the science buffs, you have to realize that science isn't objective, never will be, and that it's impossible. because of that, science is and will always be based on a thin layer of faith. the "brain in a vat" idea is a perfect example of that faith. and even if it were possible to be objective, you have to understand that it's impossible to prove the non-existence of something. using logic to explain away god is, as per their understandings and definitions, like trying to point a round peg into a square hole.. but only harder and less possible
and, for balance, one of the better articulations of the hope that non-belief can bring, and a somewhat original one at that:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=5015557
if one thing good comes from any of this, hopefully you all understand your own beliefs more as a result. other than that, i encourage you to use the energy more effectively. a few good places to start:
http://lnt.org/
http://www.conservation.org/
http://www.mountainfund.org/main.html
http://www.habitat.org/
http://national.unitedway.org/
among thousands of others..
there's a lot to do.. get to work!
