Very good points Jeff.
I have read the bible, and will give you a different take. I live in the "Bible Belt". It is more important to be a "Good Christian" than to be a good person, and those things can be mutually exclusive. I believe in the Golden Rule because it's just the right thing to do, more than any religious teachings. Most people think I'm a "Good Christian" and will talk my head off, UNTIL I tell them I'm not a Christian at all, then they treat me as if I have the black plague, or am Satan himself. Actually, when someone is labeled as a "Good Christian" I keep my eye on them. They tend to be the ones that screw people the most!
I'm not picking a fight here, just merely pointing out that even those who claim to study the Bible every Sunday, are some of the most closed minded people I have ever met. THere are two sides to that coin.
Pesonally, I could not care less what deity anyone follows as long as they leave me out of it.
If you are going to be a (insert relion here), by all means do it to the best of your ability, and I sincerely hope you find the comfort you seek. I have chosen a different path, and please respect the idea that I can worship my way also without being "wrong".
After reading my reply, it reads as if it is directed towards Jeff, and it isn't. So Jeff, PLEASE don't read it that way
