heigai

It is very difficult to argue with people who need the simplistic, I understand. I just forget with that particular issue because it irks me. It would be nice if the boards were a bar, I think that would be an interesting but long...long conversation.

I agree that mathematically speaking it would probably add jibber jabber wocky to the conversation; since the details are stretching back a very long time.

Of course, I'm also of the opinion that we just don't know yet; with regards to what "animals" are thinking. Liv

Something else that is a complete aside but did you read any of the articles about Amazon parrots and dialects? I found that stuff fascinating.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1088647

I guess I just don't see what you have. For years on this site, Christians and SUV drivers were persecuted. Now it seems to be funny that there is so much venomous hatred towards Christianity and the claim is that Athiests have been persecuted the entire time. Now, I have been gone for a year or so but I know one thing- it is not in any way, popular to be a Christian here.

I don't believe that most Christians in the ELCA are hateful and divisive and homophobic. My congregation is not the only one that preaches tolerance. My grandparents were midwesterners who were raised to be tolerant, kind, compassionate, and loving of their fellow man and they moved to the West Coast in '66. My grandfather walked his family out of a church that preached about segregation and racism and said it wasn't "Christian" and that he wouldn't be a part of it. Several families followed him.

There will always be good and bad in everything. My family taught me that no matter what everyone is equal, everyone is a child of God, and we should see everyone as human. We may be flawed, we may be different, we may make different decisions in life, etc. but we are still the same human beings and there is more than just any one thing that defines us.

To be honest, my nChristian family has been the most liberal and compassionate example in my life. It's really frustrating to see people villify and write off something that has given me so much. I'm not a bible thumper, I don't even go to Church these days. I just know that to sit by and watch someone admonish something that has given me such peace is frustrating and hurtful.

I know that we will never agree and that's okay. I just want us to be able to have a discussion without someone asserting their superiority. Maybe you didn't intend that, but that is what I've felt.