"I must take exception to the blindly following." Actually, it seems to me from your well-organized, thoughtful response, that you are not a blind follower. You are a person who takes his faith seriously. I admire that. The people I have issue with are those that sit around saying person X is going to hell because their preacher said so. Unfortunately, in the deep rural south, there is way to much of that. I have been to churches in other parts of the country, and it doesn't seem to be as prevalent.
"thought much like you about religion was simply a device to control people too ignorant to see through it" I don't feel that way at all about religion in general. I do think that far too many (especially in small towns) churches are that way. The preacher wields ultimate control over his flock. I see a lot of the churches in the area where I live as borderline cults.
"it became obvious to me that the universe is far to complex to be an accident" Well, from a scientific standpoint, it is not obvious to me (but that is another story and a long one at that), but for my personal belief, there is just something that "rings true" about the teachings of Jesus, which is why I choose to try to follow those teachings.
"My point is that I couldn't blindly follow, and didn't. It wasn't till I stepped back and questioned the teachings AND listened to the answers that I grew to appreciate them and accept them." IMHO you are an example of a good christian then. Do you think Jesus wants our love coming from a sense of obligation. Wait a minute, there is a tie in to this board. Corri, MrsNOP and others were talking about how they felt their H just wanted sex and not all the other EC things that went with it. IMHO, Jesus wants an EC with us.
"It took me much more convincing before I got to where I could take the leap of faith, and I am by no means complete in that leap either." However, I would argue that your faith is just as acceptable to God as any other, faults and all. That's what grace is all about. But a person who blindly follows is likely to me more susceptible to "fall of the wagon" when a major life event occurs that shakes their faith. KWIM?
"Recollect me darlin, raise me to your lips, two undernourished egos, four rotating hips"
