Great OP. And you state a very clear and rational argument as to the unlikelihood of the existence of a god/gods. James Jackson and Kate, I am working on both of your official atheist certificates. Kate wants a pink border around her certificate; James, which color do you wish for yours? Resistance is futile; you will be assimilated (unless you completely stop thinking and return to the cave from which you have escaped).
So Kate, you discount the bible because you feel it was written to control. I would agree; some of that control was probably very necessary to hammer out a civilization beyond the cave, tribe and clan, just as laws are necessary for social order (but lawyers, those desiring to oppressivel or needlessly to control others take law making to the extreme). Some of it was not. That's men for you. It will likely always be such, at least until we quit relying on imaginary creatures to make us behave and begin improving our DNA, which has great capacity for improving our pathetic human condition. But we won't get there until we truly believe we are big enough, strong enough and doggonit people like us and stop relying on a variety of imaginary creatures.
Again, excellent OP and discussions.
