Dear Mark & AGIR,

Crap is an anger provoking word, and I am sorry that I called your opinions crap.

I disagree deeply with both of you, but I shall try to do so politely.

Dear Poirot,

You are right. I have the failings I would like us to get rid of.

I have roughly the same feelings toward Marxism, fascism and fundamentalist religion. Whatever my feelings I can recognise those holding those views as human beings. We can possibly engage on some level and bypass the differences in belief. How do we bypass differences in belief when those holding those beliefs want to express them? That includes myself.

Well thank you, David. I have to watch my tone at times too.

David f.,

Sorry was a while getting back - first day of homeschooling for the year, and we planted a herb garden.
Your last question was a good one - one that I struggle to answer. so instead I offer some words from the Tao Te Ching:

Simplicity, Patience and Compassion
These three are your greatest treasures.
Simple in actions and in thought,
You return to the source of being.
Patience with both friends and enemies
You accord with the way things are.
Compassionate toward yourself,
You reconcile all beings in the world.

David f.,

This might also help:

"I've learned that people will forget what you said,
people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel."
(Maya Angelou).

Dear David

I'm not worried about you calling my beliefs or opinions 'crap' or the such like... I've said it many times already... what I take exception to..(serious exception) is this

//Evangelical Christianity and radical Islam want to make them like us. When they want to stay as they are EC & RI may feel justified in murdering the infidel.//

MURDERING!.....

This is wrong on 2 counts

1/ It mentions EC without any proviso "some" or.."some loony" or. "some with extreme and false views" etc.

2/ It equates Christianity with Islam..

"Jews want to extend porn into every household" Isn't that an inciting statement ?

"Some.....Jews.. namely.. a, b & c wish to etc... and to subvert Western society and destroy it"....is an accurate statement.

And I can name them.

@ ALL But for the sake of discussion.. TRY THIS :) for 'we/us'

I'll be the speaker. ( I am the governor of an American state, speaking at a Church)

"If you are saved, and have the Holy spirit,....you are my brother..
-Now I will have to say that, if we don't have the same daddy, we're not brothers and sisters,"

Woooooooooo! :) feisty stuff!

But I add...

"So anybody here today who has not accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, I'm telling you, you're not my brother and you're not my sister, and I want to be your brother."

Have a google moment with that :)

You won't believe WHO jumped up and down 50 times a second about 'that'...... *hint*..David's group.

See what they SAY..and see if it actually fits the statement by the Governor.