Peter:

Good points --- my own experience is exactly as you say --- these religious fundies are awfully choosy as to what they consider and what they cast away in terms of biblical information.

The final straw (so to speak) between myself and the Catholic Church occurred during Christmas of 1986. My girlfriend at the time had brought me to her favorite aunts house to meet more of her family. This woman had been very sick and had a hysterectomy (sp?) --- whereby she missed four months of church services.

The priest of her church sent her a PAST-DUE INVOICE for the weeks she missed. The line items on the invoice were listed as PEW RENTAL --- and at the bottom of the invoice was the usual notice informing of late payment and further interest being attached, etc.

As I held this piece of paper in my hand --- I simply could not believe what I was seeing. It was too bad that I didn't know this woman well enough to have gotten a photocopy of this heinous document.

The sadness of the whole matter was that her priest never thought to send a get well card --- only a past-due invoice.

However --- since I joined THE CHURCH OF NO RELIGION --- I am a much happier person. Having come to the realization that the ultimate responsibility lies with myself --- I was able to assume a greater control over my own life.

KDB = Buffalo, NY USA