True - and the good side is. . . .

It is true that religious people often have a mental block, where they cannot bring themselves to confront the truth if it is part of what they consider "forbidden knowledge". In fact, the whole idea that there is such a thing as forbidden knowledge is troublesome.

However, it should be noted the chief objection is to children (who are not yet sufficiently brainwashed) being exposed to forbidden knowledge. Their affectation that their beliefs are not intellectually bankrupt, and that they are other than nuts, compels them to allow some degree of discourse - even if it is reluctant (after all, they lose so many of their best and brightest as casualties to "reason" and "logic"!) and kept out of the public view as much as possible.

That said, there are also benefits to debating Christians. While it is one of the laws that most Christians ignore, the Bible does tell Christians to love their neighbors, and even to love their enemies. Some actually believe in this, and are therefore willing to think for themselves about how they treat others, including us.

It should also not be forgotten that much of the opposition to slavery and to segregation was religious in nature (even as much of the support for these crimes was also religious in nature). We need at least some in the religious community on our side. What is more, when they believe their cause is just, religious people tend to have an admirable tenacity and steadfastness. If we can get them to see that we have a common interest, it would be well for all of us.

Baldur