I love this country and I believe very strongly in the Ideals of this country.

Life and the Universe is a mystery full of beauty. I’m sorry you can’t understand my belief. If you’ve never experienced it then "I’m sorry.”

You've yet to tell me what it is you believe. You've told me over and over what you don't believe... but not what you believe.

Do you seriously think you're the only one who sees life and the universe as mysterious and beautiful? Typical of an arrogant liberal. You're the "enlightened ones", after all.

Of course I've experienced it... every day of my life. 3 of my greatest experiences with the wonders of life happened with the births of our children. I wish I could completely describe the awe of witnessing the birth of your child. It's fantastic and very much enlightening. There's a peacful and reassuring absolute clarity that comes with looking your newborn child in the eyes for the first time. I hope you experience it one day.

Ever had a gun held to your head or been shot at? I have- 4 times in my life,in fact. One of those times I was regrettably drunk and don't remember much of it except that my friend bailed me out on that one. The other 3 times were something else. Much like looking brand new life in the eyes for the first time, on the opposite end there's an absolute clarity that comes when you're looking your possible death in the eye. That I hope you don't experience one day. Either way, the experience of both is beautiful and enlightening- each in its own way.

I marvel at the complexity of God's creation. That coupled with the order that's involved in every aspect of it is inspiring, thought provoking, marvelous, beautiful... and yes, mysterious. Sorry, yes I have experienced it. That's not defining your belief, that's defining the way you view life and the universe... which is a good thing actually. Not enough people seem to really appreciate it. I think we share a bit of common ground on that one.

Agnostic, I suppose. As I said God could exist but I don’t have any evidence.

I don’t expect manifestations from god.

I was a devout Christian for many years. I grew out of it. I decided not to believe everything I’ve been told, blindly. I did have moments of great emotion and feeling. I was convinced but later realized It was nothing. Just my emotions getting the best of me.

Being emotionally convinced of something isn't the same as having a testimony. There are a lot of devout Christians who are lacking solid faith. True faith is based on corect knowledge. There are a lot misguided and ill informed people who are still devout Christian's. Don’t know the ultimate truth. I’m okay with that. But again, that doesn’t mean I can’t know the teachings of the bible or Jesus. If your response is: you don’t believe so you can’t know - then what can I say? It’s the all-time catch 22! Or, it’s a matter of faith and that’s all.

I didn't say you don't know, I said it's hypocritical. I'm guessing the Muslims, Egyptians, Aztecs and other pagans and any other deeply religious person would profess to the same amazing unmistakable feeling... So these people didn’t have a “personal manifestation?”

Don’t have proof. You’re the claiming the “scientific news of the millennium.” If man-god existed science books would be rewritten.

...So before you throw up your hands and say: "It's all too complicated. God is great! My mistake. You are saying it’s simple. I’m saying it’s complicated.

Humans are fallen and could never comprehend his great creation.

But you pick and choose.

I’m not anti Christian. And either is the overwhelming majority of scientists who believe in evolution.

Then why are your political arguments always a slam against the Christian right? Why do you feel a need to "protect your mother" from the Christian right? Why do dissenting scientists get automatically labeled as quacks, or "closet Bible thumpers"?

You say the Christian right is getting radical. How so? Because we have an opposing viewpoint and differing opinions? Or maybe it's because we aren't surprised at the events around the world and take threats against our beliefs seriously? Maybe it's because we don't just automatically bow down to your science and accept it as the gospel truth without question? Maybe that's what's "radical". Perhaps it's because when Islam declared war on us we took it seriously? Maybe we're called radical because we're such a large opposing thorn in the side of the left, the evolutionists, the man-made global warming alarmists, etc. that they can't simply get us to shut up and take whatever they dish out. So having conviction, faith, and a belief in the Bible gets us labeled radical, or idiots, or crazy, or any other derogatory insult one might dream up. Christianity has been under attack from a number of different fronts for years now, whether through simple persecution or direct threat.

creationism and intelligent design are not scientific theories they are religion and faith and thus have no place in school. You cant argue the validity of evolution but only if you use good science - not faith.

That's a matter of opinion and debate. Evolution is just a theory after all. The fact that it's a theory leaves other questions and possibilities open. How are those other questions to be explored if they're not allowed to be discussed or even introduced? Do you believe that you are the result of evolution? If so, how can you believe in something that's not conclusively proven, but only theoretical? It takes faith to believe in something you're unable to prove. It takes faith to believe in something you haven't seen.

You might say 'well, the evidence is there, we just haven't discovered it yet', and that is faith... It's all faith based until the physical oberservable... empirical evidence is discovered. ...yet faith has no business in the classroom?

All of evolutional theory including the big bang theory itself is based on the presumtion that nothing turned into something by pure chance. It's pure speculation. The root of it all -cosmic evolution and all subsequent evolution following- is based, at its core- on assumption and faith. Yet faith has no place in school? So what you're really saying is that faith in school is fine, when it "jives" with your faith. Claiming the argument is religious or lacks scientific theory is false. Such claims are only intended to quiet dissenters whether inside or outside the scientific community.

...and I can argue the validity of evolution all day long. To not argue the validity of something that still, to this day, is as full of holes as it was when the idea was introduced, would be to simply accept what I'm told. Are there some sound theories involving evolution? Yes. By scientific standards there absolutely are. Does that make them conclusive? No... it makes them theories. Are there some solid undeniable facts within those theories? Yes. Does that make them conclusive? No. The debate would be over if that were the case.

I don’t think you are totally ignorant of science but you reject what doesn’t jive with your faith and that’s not right -- The Scientific consensus is not to be challenged lightly. And just because some wacko published some wacko article in a wacko magazine or journal doesn’t mean you should take it for proof. It should appear in a scientific journal – a real one. (trying to head off you sending me wacko articles by wacko authors in wacko journals/magazines

It has nothing to with simply rejecting "what doesn't jive". The science that you're referring to is, I'm assuming, evolution. If that's the science that you're referring to then yes, I reject it as the explanation of my existence, and here's why:

Scientific consensus on a theory is not the same as scientific conclusion. It ceases to be scientific when it becomes conclusive. Throwing around the term "scientific consensus" sounds real powerful and authoritative to those who might confuse that with conclusion, but it's not enough of a statement to make me suddenly say "oh, I was wrong".

Gee, there's scientific consensus that the theory of evolution is still, well, the theory of evolution. It's not a matter of just not jiving with my beliefs. The theory of evolution directly contradicts my beliefs in every way. If I entertained the therory of evolution it would be an admittance of questioning my beliefs. You're the one who questions your beliefs, not me. Don't tell me it's wrong for me to reject something that's theoretical and inconclusive.

Ambiguous terms like "scientific consensus" are thrown around to get people to accept something as conclusive when it's not... and that's wrong. BTW, you haven't a clue what I read (aside from the Bible). I don't need articles from "wacko magazines"- whatever they may be- to tell me what I'm telling you.

I don’t know everything about science that’s why I depend on the scientific community.

If I didn’t, I guess I’d assume the world was flat - I haven’t made any measurements myself and I doubt you have either. So we are left with a set of scientific opinions

Yes, teachings from a great man not the Son of God. I know the teachings of Jesus and I don’t think it out of bounds to engage people regarding their faith. It’s my right to have an opinion. What of it?

I serve others everyday. I’m filled with empathy and love for all life. It’s my occupation and my passion. I make no distinctions based on faith, religion, color, nationality, sexuality, or anything… I believe it’s my calling to serve. After all:

“We’re just ordinary people, we don’t know which way to go.” (John Legend.)

I know which way to go. I have a very clear path and a very purposeful existence full of joy, love, learning, charity, service and a little adventure as time permits.

That was the last of that discussion. I have other e-mails from libs thatI may share at some point later on.

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