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I repeat: Talk to Jim Robinson. He has been pretty clear on this point.

I am not for a second implying that there should be NO religious debate. But a great many people here think that's ALL it should be about, and further, their concept of "debate" isn't even legitimate. It's all about "proving" that their side is superior (interestingly enough, using their own subjective criteria as it happens) and anyone who believes otherwise is a fool.

That's just not helpful. It's pointless.

And above all, I have made the point time after time, that there are PLENTY of places one can go to engage in rancorous debate on these issues. If FR was the only game in town I might understand, but it's not.

The RELIGION forum on FR was originally created to separate out religious news and discussion from political news, mainly because there were many people with not the slightest interest in religion, who bitterly complained that religion articles were cluttering up the place.

Yet as soon as it was created, some people took that as a cue that personal attacks, and attacks on religion were now sanctioned. Jim Robinson has hardly ever shown up on the politics forums to explain at length his views on how the debate on his forum should go, but he does from time to time appear here to do just that.

Yet too many people refuse to get it.

As far as what I, personally, believe, feel free to ask questions, I'll try to respond. Feel free to say "I don't understand how you can believe that because..." and I think that's perfectly legitimate.

But that isn't where these discussions invariably lead. Invariably, those who wish to "debate" me about my Church and my beliefs will post a bunch of material from dubious or even spurious sources, dare me to refute the material, then when I do, move on to yet another thread and start all over again.

That's why I am more convinced than ever of the pointlessness of rancorous "debate" on the subject of religion.