none of the above

I don't really like the term 'evo'. I think I said before that I think evolution is a perfectly good, working theory - but if something more appropriate came alone, I'd drop it immediately.But that's beside the point.Provisionally, I think people might call me a believer. However, what I believe bears no similarity to that of anyone I've ever met. I certainly don't think I'm going to be 'saved' or otherwise, because I have no Christian beliefs. All that matters is that my scientific background does not conflict with my faith in any way - and how many people are that lucky? The Rock Hound------------------
"Science constantly poses questions, where religion can only shout about answers."

My beliefs are very personal, and I don't think I can discuss them in an open thread. I've never been very comfortable talking about them openly - its probably a side effect of being a non-Christian living in a predominantly Roman Catholic society.I'm sorry but I'm not willing to share them here. If you wish to discuss them privately, I can email you directly.Sorry.The Rock Hound

Although I can't really judge other religions, my experience of Catholicism here in Ireland hasn't been very all that nice. I feel there is too much about it that is archaic and frustrating, and sometimes I really think we'd be better off without it. This is probably because I was disillusioned with the Church when I was younger, and I'm not the only one.I've always wondered: how does the rest of the world feel about the Catholic Church?The Rock Hound

I'm more worried about the effect it has on the government. There was a referendum here a while ago about abortion - and the Church were utter bastards about it. It was all ranting about abortion is wrong and sinful and you're going to hell blah blah blah... then saying that contraception was also wrong etc. There's a clear message there - although priests must be celibate, they want everyone else to breed like rabbits so more kids grow up Catholic.There's been no end of scandal around the Church here too - mostly to do with priests and nuns abusing children in the 1970's, when the Church did their best to cover it all up.Is Ireland alone in this respect? Are there any other countries that experience this kind of thing?

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IOW, the concerns are: the massive hypocrisy of the wealthy church, the fetishisation of "saints", the overt power relationships between the shephard and the flock, the undeniable role the established church has played in the legitimisation of cruel and barbaric tyrants and kings. This is the church that proclaimed that poverty and excess were gods will and cannot be challenged.

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All true in my experience. But I'm curious - why do you hate protestants more contracycle?The Rock Hound------------------
"Science constantly poses questions, where religion can only shout about answers."