Robert,

"In other words I read that damn excuse for a study for no reason. I ought to start quoting scriptures for revenge..." - you have lost me on that."

You quoted Strauss' research and typed: "As someone who grew up with smacking and has smacked as a parent I consider these findings serious enough to change my views on the topic." I misinterpreted that to mean that you would believe smacking was okay but for Strauss' paper. I read through the darn thing and found problems. That was a waste of time because your current position also relies on other material.

"The research showed a strong correlation between smacking and sexual violence and sexual coersion in later life but acknowledged that there was a possibility that it was not causal."

I don't recall how strong or weak the significant correlation was so I'll take your word for the moment. Yes that acknowledgement is deep in the paper but in more visible sections the paper uses such facts with almost as much licence as a used car salesman talking up a car.

"Maybe just a lot of coincidences and maybe it's just coincidence that smokers get lung cancer at far higher rates than non smokers."

I'm trying to avoid preaching to the unconvertible. Unless you change your mind about debating then you might consider doing the same. You have reasons for your opinion and I have reasons for mine. You see some things as related and I see them as clearly distinguishable. Please empathise with my difficulty in exercising restraint in a now one sided debate on the general topic irrespective of whether or not I consider the debate pointless and wasting our time.

"Did you see how they seemed to loose interest in how women dress after I provided some scriptures showing what Jesus said they should do."

A lot of non-Christians in here feel rather strongly (understatement)about Christians quoting scriptures to 'make a point'. No I missed that but it sure has me curious. What did Jesus say and why do my friends dislike it?