Harry - Perhaps mankind has been brainwashed into using religion as an "excuse" or "reason" for its actions and feels justified for base acts by using it is a shield. The bible is all about interpretation, is it not? Full of contradictory guidance, its sheer age - from woefully ignorant times - is another reason for being extremely circumspect when proclaiming any "faith" and using that faith for a guide for human conduct. As for "pious"...I never thought of that in terms of piety. The former (for me) conjures up eye-rolling hypocrisy and holy-joe humbug, whereas the latter seems very much closer to the real saintly thing that is so laudable because of its genuine rarity. The Church in Ireland lost much real influence when revealed to be partial in areas of political violence. No piety there then, but plenty of pious performers in the pulpit for sure!!

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M.C.(Had to come back)...when I think of some of the treacherous, snidey, robbing bastards who have `trespassed` against me in the past I find the idea of forgiveness a million miles away from `pious` - more like heroic....But ifthe situation in the Middle east or Ireland is to ever be resolved (for instance) someone is going to have to forgive someone.

And be fair, you can`t get in to most churches for the noise of the singin`

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Well said, M.C. Would any other exhortation be required if Altruistic love were the primary premise?

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The human desire to impart the unknown with a
human identity, as in the coming of Christ to
this planet in our form, is understandable - &
a quick way of getting your "word" across if you seek to convert others to your way of thinking.
The "chicken and egg" question that our intelligence provides has yet to be resolved
when considering creation in the religious sense, and in a more ignorant world the easiest way is to ignore it altogether or
respond to it as "beyond our understanding" -
which, of course, it is.

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M.C.
Regarding your point about`more to existence than we know:

I know the arguments about `Paley`s Watch`and design,
but every time I listen to dear old national treasure David Attenborough (and he is a national treasure)relating his anti-theism...and then look at the amazingly interlocking and almost miraculously colourful and fascinating scenes photographed by his
wonderful phographers behind him as he speaks, I can`t help suspecting that someone `up there` is taking a bit of a rise out of him.

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Food for thought, MC.
...and an honest form too. No pretence of "free verse" by the ritual chopping of prose into little lines.

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Nice one M.C. What is the point in a large universe that may be full of life if death is oblivion? Take care, Tony.

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