Yes, because the real problem is that I don't know anything about religion. Forget that I was raised by an ex priest and a reformist catholic mother. Forget that I've spent a good part of my life studying theology to find anything that closely meshes with my own beliefs. The fact that I'm still looking at 24 should tell you just how long I've been at it. But you're right...I know zip about religion...especially christianity.
Why the fuck would I set my own house on fire and not call the FD? I pay my fucking taxes which is more than I can say for any church. That's really pretty inane.
As for a "personal attack" against Rob...quid pro quo. Don't be a douche if you can't take some in return. If he would've responded appropriately I would have done so in kind, so quit crying.
If a church's job is to do god's work by giving back to the community, why is there so much money left over to buy bigger and better churches? Does god's will include extravagant light shows for X-mas and Easter and so much seating that they need giant plasma screens just so the people in the cheap seats can see the preacher/priest? No. It's all a competition. Rather than doing "god's work" they try to pull more members in and see who can do it bigger and better. If you can afford all of that shit, you can afford to pay taxes. I'm not denying that some churches do good things. But weigh it against their personal interests and you might be on the losing end of that one.
I'm not sure why you're so concerned with my mental health Rob. I don't have ADD...never have. I won't apologize for having a lot of ideas...but I'm sure you're not used to running into people who actually think. I don't really have anger issues...I'm actually a pretty laid back guy. I will not, however, sit idly by and watch shit that pisses me off and not say anything about it. If you want to call me intolerant, that's cool. However slandering someone for not believing the same thing you do seems pretty fucking intolerant, doesn't it? And by the way, that's what all of the shit you're trying to convince me is wrong with myself is...slander. You don't know me. You know a screen name on a computer 2000 miles away, yet you presume to know how I think and feel. Good thinkin' there, champ.
You see...to feel wronged by god, I'd have to acknowledge him/her/it in the first place. Since I don't (at least not in the same manner you do), how can I possibly feel wronged by god? Likewise, how can I hate someone I don't believe exists? I know sunday school and CCD classes fill your head with trite bullshit about how anyone who doesn't believe is misguided or full of hate. Trust me, I've been there. But they've excluded free will from the equation. There a lot of things in this world that are hard to explain without some sort of supernatural force...but the flipside of that coin is also true. To completely exclude on side of that is just insane. So insane, I may try to get religious fanaticism introduced into the DSM IV (that would be the "diagnostic and statistics manual of mental health disorders").
So, in closing, I'll just say I'm as right with your god as I'll ever be...which is not at all. The only difference is that I'm not trying to change anyone's mind. I'm not foolish enough to think that I can change someone's deep seeded beliefs into anything. Apparently you don't share such clarity.