[holtjv]

Well, the origins of organized religion, which I guess is redundant, are pretty interesting to me. What practical reasons required that people organize around a person in the early days and very early days? Power, obedience to the potentate, enforcement of moral code, information, whatever.

But church attendance is down and my earlier comment was mostly in jest--indeed, I'd say church attendance for the ultra conservatives in the mega churches has increased.

Traditional, old time religion has probably seen a drop in attendance because there's not as much a practical need to go to church--you get your information via the phone, internet, and mail because you can read and obviously have access to these things. Thoughtful people read that man may have evolved rather than just popping up out of nowhere and existing side-by-side with the dinosaurs. You get your socializing done because of the urbanization of the developed world--you no longer live miles from another farm. I would think that back in the day, going to church was the only way to socialize and spread news in rural communities.

I respect the hell out of b.a. christians because most seem so happy where before, they may have drifted a bit. But the intolerance is really pitiful, unkind,--very unchristian, imo. Think of the fundamental muslims--a lot are uneducated, young, and easily influenced. The recent educated health workers caught in the UK was shocking to me--I've been in 3d world muslim countries and have seen how easily influenced they are by radio and pamphets--these are mostly uneducated and very poor people clinging to any shred of hope offered by the cleric. Why do they believe that the US is the great Satan? They're not hearing anything from anyone else.

Will the evangelical christian movement persist? Who knows--reading tony's defensive and offensive replies shows me that momentum may be changing, which would be too bad for the folks who really need the support and black-and-white guidance offered.

Jack