And generally, who wants to hear another's hatreds anyway? Ever been buttonholed in the street by some darkie who wants to tell you in broken English (with pictures!) how awful is Dr Moses Fruitcake, perpetual president of Bongo-bongo (formerly British West Bongoland) and how everyone in that country is now living on one rice-crispie a day, and how he and all his friends have been tortured to death several times now? It may be true, but I have my own problems to deal with, not to mention my serious deficiency in the sympathy-for-others gland. Tell us of your enthusiasms, not your hatreds, that's what I say (or would if I wasn't pretending to be Albanian and ducking into MacDonalds to escape).

[Later in the thread]

I don't think that there is more for me to say, since my points have been born out to a quite extraordinary degree. Apparently no-one can answer my questions or discuss the subject rationally in any way! In the absence of rational response, I think you all have proved quite conclusively that for you atheism consists merely in conformity to societal values, and if that means lynching 'The Enemy' whom your masters designate -- for you have no rational reason to hate 'racists' -- then you are happy to do so. Well! If you say so...

I did enjoy all those little atheist faces twisted with hate and little atheist voices yelling "RACIST!! RACIST!! RACIST!!". [smiley]

All the best,

Roger Pearse