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I think that perhaps you are confusing forthright, entertaining debate with animosity. Nobody here is expecting to change anybody's opinions on these matters of religion and politics. But we're sure going to have a hell of a lot of fun trying, and that's really the point of the whole thing.

Agreed. I hardly ever feel that people on this BBS are "bashed", though ideas are certainly thrashed about quite a bit. Sometimes I get tired of reading the "Bush is evil" stuff from time to time, so I don't. Yes, there are times I skip over long posts on political topics because I'm just tired, but that's a choice I have. Most of the time I at least take pleasure in reading perspectives I don't hear often, and certainly not from sources that are credible. There is a lot here that simply doesn't make sense to me and I still struggle to figure out why people believe some of the things they do (and I know many say the same about me), but this is a unique place in which we can put flesh-and-blood people behind some of the ideas we've only ever heard through one filtered medium or another. It is very difficult for me to demonize the "other side" knowing that there are intelligent people who I respect holding tightly to those ideas.

Where this is all so invaluable to me is that I think we all want the same things, but we disagree at a fundamental level how to get there. I believe that faith in Jesus Christ is the key to true hope and peace, that the government should leave much of its social programs to the people, and that due to the fallen world we live in, sometimes violence is required to prevent more violence. But I also know people here who believe that religion is not necessary for hope and peace (and possibly even an agent against such pursuits), that the government should increase its role in meeting the needs of its people, and that violence is never necessary if you truly try to live at peace with your fellow man. It’s neat to be able to listen to other people talk about how they think we ought to get something accomplished, because it seems none of us has it exactly right.

In short, I don’t agree with or embrace much of the things said here, but I am glad to know the people behind the words- perhaps by understanding each other better we can make better sense of how to get those things we all want. Ok, now let’s join hands and sing . . .