I haven't Peter.

It's been decades since I have bothered with mass market Christian literature.

If you want to feed your spirit, you go to the scripture, his words are truth and life.

Unless you have some terribly compelling reason, I see no need.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_to_a_Christian_Nation

which lead to here, note the symbolism

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jainism

in addition to which I read this and this:

http://www.samharris.org/

http://www.complete-review.com/reviews/religion/harriss2.htm

If I have gather correct, the gist of Mr Harris' thesis is that faith is not only passe, but in fact, the cause of human conflict, which makes it ripe for elimination -for humanities sake.

Julian Huxley would be delighted.

Besides which, assuming that general thesis, men live by faith all day every day. Which of us has any power in our coming to consciousness or our continued existence?

And men war for the usual reasons: ... the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And that's the sort of thing that bothers folks, that surety. Which I've never completely understood since there is no validity to the scripture -in a non believers eyes- why do they get so excited about it?

Now I understand Reg and David's point about Boykin. But the thing is, he didn't put himself in charge, someone chose him, and presumably he will follow orders. I also think it telling that he was not removed(whereas others were who didn't support the new foreign policy initiative, overthere), but lip service only was applied, not action.

Please do tell me if I completely missed the mark Peter.

respects