To know God Is to Obey - Lukewarm Christians be warned, page-314

Gosh, talk about being damned if I do or damned if I don't.

I'm not upset, peeved, disappointed, challenged, in this case, but if I deny it, well, I am, no matter what I say. I'm a pretty autonomous guy. I have paddled against the tide most of my life and not just to be contrary.

I know from past experience what DBT9, your good self and Copperbod are in varying degrees, materialists, less so Copperbod, but I'm fully aware of his tribal, animalistic, unchanging humanity, conviction, so there was nothing new to be challenged by, or upset by, in his post. I felt it was a tad dismissive, but that's okay, I appreciate him taking the trouble to reply. I responded in kind out of respect. It was late and I basically didn't waffle around with my response, which you may have taken as me being upset.

My friends and associates are anything but likeminded and that is a blessing in itself. I have a bit of an aversion for people who agree with me. I tend not to associate with them. I get my pants pulled down by my friends, associates and adult children often. My kids are always lecturing me. They, we, have falling outs because we all have reasonably strong opinions, and strongish personalities and differing opinions, but we all know there is nowhere else to go to get the juices flowing. People so rarely talk these days, really talk.

So mixing exclusively with the like minded is a weakness, not a strength. This is how Scientology, Mormons, JW and many others work by forming a single response leaderships and thus removing all Free Will.

Disagreement is the lifeblood of growth in knowledge. Damn, I nearly choked on that one. I can hear the old science teacher's voice in my head. I know I get a bit, Pollyanna, but that line cut me, brother. I'm sure you meant well, but that was a hug from the aunt who always has body odour. Just too saccharin. Too much kick, then kiss.