Quote:
Since this is a music forum, wouldn't it be better if we left the two most contentious topics on the planet off the menu?

with all due respects, Bob (and I really DO respect you a lot.. even though I am of a different opinion on this topic)

1) you say religious discussion is inappropriate and should not be allowed. But this is clearly a thread about religion (not doctrine bot about its appropriateness... so religion is the clear them of the thread)... and YOU started it, in violation of your own main point!!

2) the original discussion, OTOH, was clearly NOT about religion... it only became problematic when a few who really had no investment in the discussion decided to turn it into a religious argument by making the kind of statements that are classic barroom fight lines.

3) if memory serves me, MOST of the knock down drag out political discussions in the past were also started by you.

The interesting thing about all of this is that this group has evolved from an impersonal forum into a group of international friends. Friends talk about all kinds of things. It would be one thing if somebody came in and started proselytizing... I would protest too, even though I would probably agree with the message. But no proselytizing is going on here.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ey71h8ep047758h/AAC12jNM0Hz9Q8zsh5iDeqNHa?dl=0