[ladydoc]

I think changing others opinions is difficult because one's beliefs are usually a fairly consistent gestalt...a world view. If one little thing maybe gets tweaked, the whole belief system can become shaky and very few are really comfortable with that. It is like having to hold the fort and not let it get breached anywhere. There was tons of research done during WWII about changing beliefs...and very little was successful. The one I remember most is the one that was a failure in getting people to eat more organ meats.

I have said many times that some folks only see black and white, while others can see shades of grey. My life has always been the shades of grey...which can make you a little unsettled because you constantly question everything. If this is right...how can that be wrong? I have just learned to live with inconsistency because I try very hard to think through every big issue independently. When I was a kid our dinner conversation was always fairly deep..discuss world events and my dad would challenge us with "what ifs", so I think alot about what ifs....and there come the shades of gray.

My favorite philosophy book is Alpha to Omega by Pierre Teiliard DesChardins. He was a Jesuit priest, but also a scientist. This book is about how he was able to finally embrace both evolution and the bible. If you have a chance to read it, do so. It is worth it.