I've followed this thread since the start and I've been lurking because 1) it's off topic and 2) while the debate was interesting, it seemed to be going down that familiar road of people talking (posting) AT each other rather than pursuing a collective discussion (i.e. respecting someone else's opinion and defending one's own with intelligence, civility and flexibilty).

When I read FlyAAway's post above, I was ready to jump in if and when there might be a "feeding frenzy" about his Bible study. Luckily there was not, but the fact that he included that remark in his post is telling. Intolerance exists everywhere, among people of all types of "persuasion": political, religious, sexual, racial, etc. Unfortunately, it is NOT the exclusive domain of any one group.

Moving on. FlyAAway, I read your posts regularly. I may not always agree with you, but I appreciate and admire the way you post your opinion (which is not always a "popular" one) on an issue and then defend it with intelligent and well-reasoned arguments. You solicit substantive responses from others. You don't give up easily, but you are wise enough to admit when you are mistaken and make amends. You also are willing to pursue information elsewhere in search of answers to the issue at hand.

And, at least in this thread and one other current thread in OMNI, your arguments give me some meat to chew on (food for thought?) regarding stands on certain issues that I may not have considered before. I believe you are/were in the military? Well, thanks for acting as my intellectual drill sergeant from time to time.

{Edit}: punctuation and spelling

[This message has been edited by blairvanhorn (edited 10-25-2001).]