Well, Pixel, keep it coming. As I said, I will address religion only as it may tangentially touch other topics on this forum.
I do think that theologians/philosophers/scientists of very, very high caliber have addressed the actual spiritual aspects of religion, yes, the existence of God, for centuries, and right up to the present. I have recommended numerous books by first rate scientists who have explored the confluence of science and religion.
The existence of God, some say, is not provable by empirical evidence, and I see this as having some truth. That is why I have avoided the actual spiritual aspect of religion on this forum, and when I did state my beliefs at some prompting from several members, directly stated that these beliefs had no empirical evidence to back them up, by the very nature of it. However, as I said above, this does not stop first rate thinkers and scientists from, yes, actually addressing the existence of God. And I have mostly by far limited myself to the history of Christianity and Judaism, its history here on earth, where there is empirical and convincing evidence of the points I have made.
I've heard it all from members here, and it's literally like water off a duck's back now. The fact that Pixel and others keep throwing it at me shows more their inability to provide evidence for what I think and most scientists and historians think is fringe, is crackpot. I'll say it again: fringe, crackpot, pseudoscience, pseudoarchaeology, pseudohistory, and more. There is no evidence to support most by far of this fringe stuff.
And I will continue to ask for specifics, and continue to provide contrary evidence when members indulge in wild stuff that has no basis. I will do it politely, but religious taunts will not dissuade me at all,
because, religion, by its very nature, is indeed separable, as I said above,
from fringeology, pseudo this and that and the other thing, it's a cottage industry on the net and among some, yes, crackpot authors and publishing houses, and TV shows ad nauseam, and it should be addressed firmly and forcefully on this forum.
History is my love, my specialty, and I keep studying it and learning more and more. It's a passion, and I am very rational and scholarly about it.
So, keep the taunts coming. I will not let this thread or any other turn into a religious thread per se by anything I will say. Pixel and others in this thread have taunted with stuff that is cruel and heartless, but saying it is does not mean it has an effect on me anymore.
The taunts are a refuge for those who don't like to be asked for specifics on some of the wild and weird things they put out there in the form of supposed profundity. I see the clear difference between empirical evidence being demanded for here on the earth phenomena and here on the earth "theories" and "hypotheses" and overarching generalizations about science and history, and religion. Two different things. And I will continue to ask for evidence and point out where I think contrary evidence clearly points to the truth about history.
And, you know, I sort of hate to say this, but it isn't hard on this forum. There is so much fake profundity and sweeping generalizations made here about all sorts of things that can, clearly, be addressed with empirical evidence and exposed for their falsity. It really hasn't been hard.
I've watched the evolution of some of these threads that begin with a sweeping generalization couched in profundity. I will ask for specifics, real specifics. It doesn't take long for the religious invective to be thrown my way, or now, the teacher accusations. So, I'm sorry if being asked to supply evidence is frustrating for some, but if you say something that is so out there concerning history, then you should be prepared to supply specifics. And taunts about what I believe about Christianity have no effect. Perhaps more than the two who have said they have put me on ignore, quite triumphantly (!), should hit the ignore button for me. It will not stop me from, when I legitimately see wild stuff thrown out, from addressing it politely. It will not be to incite, but I will present my evidence. If those who "ignore" me, and how childish, choose to do that, then they will simply not see the evidence that I present to, yes, refute the wild statements they make about history. That's their decision. That's not some dare or threat, it's just that I, as a teacher of history and many other subjects, cannot in good conscience let some of this stuff go unanswered. Kim