I am by no means suggesting neglecting your children, but you need to keep your marriage strong in order to be the best parent you can be.

If we all thought the same thing, then I would suspect a lack of mental stimulation, conformative resignation, or emotional coercion. That human beings do not agree on matters of religion, or the heart, is indeed what makes uniquely human. It is fine to tell others your views, but in a “this is what I think” way, not with persuasion as the goal. Let others consider weigh for themselves. And in turn, consider other’s alternatives with an open mind, not preconceived conclusions. If you really want to win someone over, actions will be more convincing than any verbal argument or “spiritually” motivated legislation.

So eloquently stated that I wish you were MY dinner guest! Beautifully said, and dead on accurate. It is rare that I feel in such complete agreement. Been there, so many times, and wish I could have said it so well!

My favorite kind of “faith” is that expressed through the kind and gentle actions of believers that need never be announced. My husband is a Quaker, and you would never know it unless you asked him specifically. But you would definitely notice his uncommon integrity, careful contemplations, and sense of duty to his fellow man. To me, that is true grace: service without proselytizing, tolerance without imposition. And I do not see the necessity for dogma or persuasion to live with such grace. Nor does my husband. I am an atheist, and we coexist happily, with mutual respect for each other’s carefully considered points of view.

I sometimes wonder whether it’s selfish of me not to say anything–that is, to subjugate what I think is a logical and well-supported viewpoint for my own convenience when I could be making the point that there is in fact a sizable number of people who think what I do and they’re not more likely to be murderers and brigands than anyone else–but frankly, given the people I’m dealing with, I don’t think it’s worth the headache or the heartache.

Still, the false equivalency people tend to draw between spiritual feelings, important as they can be to many people’s lives, and factual evidence always frustrates me when it leaks out of the personal domain and into the public and governmental.

I can’t help but look at old couples and smile and hope that one day my wife and I are the old couple everyone’s smiling at.