hello. i enjoy discussing religion. it is a topic difficult to convey, and interesting to question. discussing is sometimes the most religious experience of my day. this is far different from personal prayer. i want to remain neutral, and inspire personal introspection, and at the same time my spirit burns to share what i know for others to experience, and that is a conundrum. there is already a devout social engineering scientist on this thread. to him i would question: how is it we can speak words and talk with each other, unlike all other species on this planet? have you ever known love, and how would you describe it? if religion IS a spiritual engineering to control people for good, why would you not appreciate it? religion remains to me spiritual development. i was born with a pure spirit, and life degrades it. with religion i can rebuild it. i only regret never being able to purely live again the spirit with which i was born, until perhaps when i die- into a non physical existence again. can you recall how you felt as a baby? when you had no fear, and the happiness was overwhelming: do you recall?