Sorry, I have been out of this loop for such a period that it has grown three pages, but I must go back to this post and re-address the "heart of stone" issue. You are being disturbingly presumptuous here and also with your characterisation of paraflux. It seems that you are unwilling to take my character on face value (as little face as I have revealed) but rather would present me as something that you once were, simply because I am not what you are now. You say it is because we are all born selfish and apparently can only rid ourselves of that through Christ. Your rule book says that is the way things are, so it is unnecessary for you to actually come to know me as another human being to witness the possible virtue of my character. Instead, your rules say that it is plain that I must have a selfish heart because I clearly have not done what is needed to transform it.

This is a good example of how beliefs divide people. You are unwilling to accept that I may actually be a good person with pure intentions if I am not of your chosen group. I must change to your prescribed result for you to accept me as a person who is healthy, selfless and worthy(or suitably unworthy if you want to talk about my unending sinfulness). My actions in my relations with others are kind and honourable to a high degree that I hold as most sensibly important. And it is important. We are a world at war. One must be vigilant in their actions to ensure virtue is at their core and is emanating to the world. I do not act nice in an attempt to secure my place in heaven, that is foolish and false. I am not interested in my conclusion or inclusion, I am concerned with our wellbeing, not only at this critical time in history but for any time (as, clearly, one thing leads to another). We are at war with one another - or so most of choose - and beliefs are at the centre of our reason for this. It is inevitable, if I was to choose to centre my thoughts on a belief system, such as Christianity for example, then I would feel the need to partake in this war in some way. Of course, it would make perfect sense then. Then I could base my decisions on the teachings of others through history who too have waged wars and have experience with this kind of thing. It would become important which side I chose, which course of action I would take to encourage these people here or discourage these people there. I am not saying that you would fight because you are Christian and thats what your beliefs tell you - I don't know that about you. But I am sure you would do something, something that you believe to be right according to the most wise and almighty. And this action, whatever it may be, will be inevitably in conflict with the thoughts and actions of those who hold a different set of beliefs, in this case namely Muslims. That conflict is impossible to resolve while the beliefs still exist and that is why, over time, this conflict has evolved into the crisis that it is now. These things are clear if one looks at them from an unsullied viewpoint. That viewpoint, unfortunatly, is difficult to achieve, especially when one is caught up in the rapture of organised religion. But, as I have said many times on this thread, it is important, vitally important.