[Chris&Amelia]

I'm joining this discussion rather late, but for what it's worth (which I'm sure isn't much), you have our support.

We pretty much feel the same way you do. She was raised Catholic (she's a bona-fide ex-Catholic High School Girl) and I was raised Southern Baptist. Both our mothers are highly religious, and I'm pretty sure that if my mom found out we were Swingers, she would burn me at the stake. (she subscribes to newsletters from the Rev. Donald Wildmon, for goodness sake!).

We both believe in God and Jesus Christ. And we both consider ourselves good people. But neither one of us have stepped in a church for a non-wedding related activity in ages.

The entire concept of organized religion is disheartening. I think that it originally, a long, long time ago, started with good intentions. But, like most (all?) of the world's organized religions, it was corrupted into a means to control the hearts, minds, and wallets of people and to keep those at the top of the church in power.

I still can't understand why people hold the Pope in such high regard. He seems like a nice enough fellow, but he's just a man. I doubt he has any more of a special connection to God then we do.