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Jeff's patience and good-natured attempts to explain what it is like being his flavor of a Christian (both doctrinary and emotionaly) is trully amazing. I was never able to discuss these matters in a similar way, not even with my Catholic brother.
I appreciate this (and other similar words from other posters) more than you know. I think it is the embodiment of the great commission to share with others our beliefs and experiences, so for you to say this makes all the time spent talking here worth it. Plus, I have been stretched quite a bit through these conversations and driven to greater depths of faith. The efforts of JBjorgen and Cybjorg should not go unnoted, however, as I think they both have done an excellent job of sharing as well. While the three of us probably differ on some minor points, we all are coming from a very similar position and it's gratifying to see one of them say something in a way that I've not been able to.

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I believe in equal treatment of all religions very strongly. We must not be tempted into adopting one religion as "the true" or official one, just because we happen to live in a region where it prevails statisitcally.
Aside from the practical impossibility of doing this (how many religions are there in the world?) I agree with this, at least as far as government goes. Now you know I believe very strongly that Christianity is the one true religion, but I think it is an important part of faith that one cannot be forced into belief. Thus, it only makes sense to live in a society that allows for personal choices about religion and faith. I do think, however, that people have gotten mighty sensitive about what constitutes the government "establishing a religion". I don't think teachers provideing some good natured influences by expressing who they are (not using their platforms as pulpits) is the "government establishing a religion", but we've drawn that line pretty far out. It seems everyone is afraid that if teachers mention they have faith in Jesus (or any other deity), their students will be forever marred. This seems as irrational as Christians not wanting their children to be exposed to any other ideas.
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-Jeff
Rome did not create a great empire by having meetings; they did it by killing all those who opposed them.