Evolution and the soul...

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

when I said "butt out of Science and Politics" I think you may have taken me a bit too literally - I was referring to the Religious groups like Answers in Genesis who seem determined to undermine good Science with babbling pseudo science and out right lies

I was not suggesting that Religious people couldnt be scientists

but that is often how it comes accross - and worse are the people, including on this board, who regularly ask me "do you believe in evolution".

I always say "yes" but really I should say "no, one does not 'believe' a scientific theory, one merely uses it so long as it provides a rational explanation and then abandons it like a cheap harlot as soon as a bustier, I'm sorry, more rational one comes along."

its what happens when people ask questions such as "prove that God exists scientifically"

Quite.

Good points... which brings us the question: How universal was Christ's atonement?
This is a disputed point in Christianity. Some hold to the absolute universal, as in every world created by God, is under the umberella of Christ's grace (Mormonism) to Calvinistic predeterminated selected grace. Only those chosen from the beginning will be saved.

I've often thought that this argument rather misses the point - Christianity isn't really about Jesus so much as what he taught and the example he provided. The argument should not be about whether his sacrifice was adaquate but about what it was meant to signify.

From my point of view, a "Christian" is someone who accepts Christs core teaching - which is that we are flawed beings with an impaired relationship to God, disobediant children who should ask for forgiveness. A christian is most certainly not someone who reads their Bible every night just because and wears a cross around their neck.