[lisa_spyder]

Bob,

I agree - and I had great influences in my life that shared this very same view.

My mother was Greek Orthodox; my father was Melkite Catholic (so am I). This match in itself was considered by some to be unusual to say the least.

In fact Dad spent two years "in training" as a monk in an order in Lebanon before emigrating here. He was deeply religious but he did not wear his religion on his sleeve. He would pray wherever he was. My tolerance comes from both of them and my maternal grandparents as well.

My grandfather brought his family from Lebanon in 1926. In their home village they had Jewish and Muslim neighbours and everyone got along very well. In fact one of my grandfather's closest friends was the Mufti out here - I remember as a kid being in awe of these two old men and their genteel ways. I loved them both - a lot. By contrast, I witnessed my grandfather throw his "one of his own" out one day - a corrupt Greek Orthodox priest no less (hey everyone religion has 'em).

Lame as it sounds, I was taught to be "true to your heart and to yourself". This is how I want and try to live my life. This is the most important teaching I want to instill in our kids too. For me at least this means I am true to my belief in God as well. It certainly does not mean that I should go to Church on Sunday and then sin on Monday...saw that enough in my school years; all those *****y Roman Catholic mothers (as Mum used to call them). That's not for me.