Thanks very much for your thoughtful response Pavane. I admit, I have had very little direct contact with the divine, so I'm not much of an authority here. And I sympathize greatly with non-belief. Hell sometimes I'm not sure if I believe

One thing though. Your criticisms seem to center around organized religious institutions. I don't really trust those either, though I'm sure some are good. Churches are more the product of Man not God.

You seem like the type who needs to think for yourself. I'm the same way. So in my opinion, why listen to what the churches say blindly. Why care whether they are smart or stupid, good or evil. None of that matters at the individual level. I'm glad you've kept an open mind