I too enjoy a meaty conversation when it's done respectfully and in good faith - which I think we've both largely done. And it was interesting to learn more about your background and education.

I am a very spiritual person, but I no longer belong to any organized religion. Mostly what I find there (with some exceptions) is people who have created God in their own image who then use that as a weapon to justify their own agenda. The extreme level of dominance hierarchy in most religions is a breeding ground for abuses of all sorts, as well as for pushing positions that are decidedly un-Christlike. So, for most Christians, I think their morality actually comes from their own biases and agenda, and then they paint "God said" over that in order to justify themselves.

It makes absolutely no logical sense to cherry pick certain verses from an ancient book written decades after the death of Christ when the world was vastly different than it is now and then pretend like you are actually being guided by God. The Bible is full of places where it contradicts itself or where we know it is in error - there was no census called for by Cesar Augustus where everyone had to return to their town of origin to be taxed. We have good written records of that time, and it never happened. So, if people aren't taking the core message of Christ to love one another and help each other and are still eating shrimp and wearing clothing made of two different fibers, I don't think all that much of their source of morality.

But, that being said, if you haven't already read the Moral Politics story, I encourage you to do so. The book was fascinating and really helped me to understand the mindset of some people who heretofore seemed crazy and evil to me. I still think they are in the wrong, but at least I understand where those beliefs stem from and how they make sense to them.