Look its quite simple, and I'm just tired of reading these long posts.
1. Gay marriage. Doesn't affect anyone but the two being married. Whatever you term it, its no one's business but the two involved. Religious folks can opt not to allow gay marriage in THEIR house, but since most homosexuals aren't Bible-thumping Christians, that should also have no affect on them. Unfortunately, the country is controlled by Bible-thumpers, so the USA is effectively their house. And they have no respect for alternate viewpoints. Just go try and ask Zell Miller a poignant question, he might duel you.
2. Religion in schools. If it were up to me, I would say don't allow it. There are too many opportunities for religious fanatics to impose their own viewpoints (or force) on impressionable children. Religion should be taught in the home, according to the parent's own views, which allows children some freedom of expression and thought while at school. This of course would not apply to religious institutions and such. Now while some may argue that non-religious folks can also be fanatics, its more difficult to be fanatical about an ABSENCE of belief, than a surfeit of it.
3. Abortion. Whether you like it or not, a woman has control over her own body. That includes the life within it. If you make legislative or judicial sanctions on what a woman can do with her own body, than you might as well turn back the clock a century or so and treat women as property. Just so you all know, I knew a girl who got pregnant in high school, and guess what, she was a preacher's daughter. She was white. The father was Indonesian. Once the father found out, he took the day off from preaching fire and brimstone to get his daughter an abortion, he wouldn't have no "half-breed" in his house. The daughter comitted suicide about a month later. So much for the healing power of religion.
4. The Bible. Its a document written by men. A large-ish portion of it was written during the Dark Ages, to assist the church and feudal lords in controlling the downtrodden peasantry. Giving them a sliver of hope of release in the afterlife was an effective measure at keeping them on the lands of the lords. The Bible has also gone through multiple revisions, translations, and interpretations, there is pretty much no chance that ANY version of the Bible today reflects Christ's actual teachings. However, every kindergardner knows what Christ taught, simply "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." A simple rule, that all the parable and stories of the Bible cannot show. And it always amazes me that religious folks talk of "THE Bible" when in fact there are so many different types. Almost makes me wish for the Torah or Qu'Ran, at least those have only one printing and aren't fractured into many groups.
Lastly, as is always the case, religious folks won't entertain the notion that they're possibly wrong, and non-religious folks won't entertain the notion that logic CAN'T change a religious person's beliefs. Its an argument that will only be proved by death, which is ironic because than you can't report back! Anyways, good arguing with you guys, find peace and love, each in your own way, and "to hell" with anyone who tells you otherwise!
