[KAL7329]

Interesting...I agree with your conclusion but not with any of your premises. Yes, I think religion has a tendency to make people afraid of knowledge...but I think God created us to have a thirst for knowledge. Your first premise, that the lack of "tangible knowledge" means something is "just make believe" is flawed. I'd argue that much (all!) of our "tangible knowledge" (knowledge backed by physical evidence) was, at one time, based solely on intangible knowledge (knowledge backed by logical reasoning, speculation about the meaning of patterns in observed data, etc...). How many theories have people proposed that they had no hope of studying in any tangible way with the current level of technology? The fact that we can't measure a variable does not mean that it is make believe...it merely makes it an unknown. ...and when it comes to God, if he is who he claims to be, isn't it at least a tad arrogant to think we could ever discover a way prove OR disprove his existence?I do think that "religion" can lead to a fear of knowledge...but I'd argue that there is a positive correlation between the level of fear and the level of structure provided by that religion. Religion is nothing more than man's attempt to "put God in a box"...but it isn't "warm and gooey" feelings, it is a more fundamental need for security that motivates people to fill their brains with a religious rule book and shun any information that seems to contradict something they've been taught about God. I have no doubt you'd label me "religious"...but to me, my beliefs represent a lifelong attempt to avoid letting my perception of God be polluted by any man-made "religion"...and this translates to a lifelong quest for knowledge. Main difference as I see it is the perspective we take on all that tangible evidence we collect...some people view apparently contradictory evidence at a threat to the security of their beliefs and tend to ignore it...others seek "tangible knowledge" with the intent to prove or disprove the existence of God...and others, like myself, seek "tangible knowledge" that provides "tangible benefits". I start with a simple position of faith..."there is a God, and I'm not him". Then, when faced with the vast universe of knowledge I could chose to pursue with my life, I selected (and will continue to select) knowledge that offers tangible rewards...I ask questions that I have some chance of answering. To me, it seems irrational to think that you could ever design a measure that would allow you to eliminate the possibility that "God did it and we don't know why" so instead of asking questions like that, I ask questions that provide knowledge I can use to fulfill God's purpose for my life. ...and No, I don't limit that to the bible or to the "rule book" prescribed by any religion. I seek knowledge in sociology, psychology, human behavior, business, history, physics, and more...but instead of trying to use this knowledge to prove or disprove the existence of God, I use it to understand people...for in business and in life, I have no hope of satisfying a person's needs if I don't understand those needs (love one another)!