VoidEater: My *modesty* tells me I can't know the future, my heart tells me I don't need to know the future.
Well said! I wish my parents could understand that such a perspective is by no means dismal or hollow. They are hurt that I'd try to convince them that their faith is based on falsehood and yet I don't give them "anything better" as a replacement for their beautiful hope.
I've tried to explain that my beliefs are not based on the prettiest picture but on the best available evidence. A person diagnosed with cancer can live in denial but it doesn't change the fact that they have cancer. Better to face reality and make lemonade. (As you can see, my illustrations probably don't help their perspective: reality = cancer. lol)
Thank you for the other comments as well.