While I would never infringe upon the right of someone to profane the Lord's name, since nothing says you're as cool as a third grader than doing so, I must take issue with Vicky's contention that the OT, aka the Hebrew Scriptures, is an "outdated book of myths". Ok, which book specifically is? And what verse, chapter, etc.? And does this mean that we also hold all ancient literature, or for that matter, anything not published before a certain date, beyond the pale of discussion? Also, you do realize, since you're clearly a literary student, that "myth" is not defined solely as "false," indeed, every culture has its "myths" and poetic truth is at the heart of mystical experience (you've read your Joseph Campbell and your Jung, right?) Traditional scriptural interpretation (not 19th century biblical literalism in response to Darwin, which started all this stupidity in the first place) has always held that some of the Bible is allegorical, some of it historical fact, and some a combination of both. In fact, most of the allegedly intelligent naysayers of today are making arguments that were answered, oh, say by Augustine way, way back, which the Hitchens/Dawkins/Brown/Maher crowd could have found out if they actually went to a library instead of spending all their time trying to get in front of a camera.

Correction, my comments were directed at "smllprsn" not Vicky. My apologies.

Dearest smallprsn.
Yes, I am aware of sentences that run on too long, for example, one pointing out the fact that you didn't bother to actually read my statement in which I defended the sainted Mercury and free speech rights, by noting such rights are usually invoked by people trying to be as cool as third-graders, and aren't we glad as July 4 beckons that we beat the Brits to gain that right, but, however, I also never said the country should be run by people who interpret the Bible literally, and certainly not in Portland, so help us God, er, Goddess, er, Impersonal Force, er, the Universe, but I also didn't say the country should be run by anyone else, for that matter, because I'm not hung up on your bourgeois attachment to parental government figures, man, telling you what to do, no man, I am done with that trip.