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Sentiments such as this trouble me. I worry about whiling away my aged hours in wistful sorrow. I really don't want to waste my youth, so much so that it weighs on my mind heavily – and detracts from my overall enjoyment of the years I'm meant to be savouring. I'm 27 by the way, so not that young at all – but I still feel very young. I haven't settled down and still go out a lot. Are you suggesting you aren't as happy, when you are older? Do you live with a constant sense of melancholy?

Hi boss, I won't be in today, I'm sick. What's wrong? I'm in bed with my sister.

Absolutely not. Imagine seeing everyone you have ever loved, or ever will love, die. The mere thought makes me feel sick. You fall in love, she's beautiful. You set up a home together, you never get tired of the way her hair smells. You have a lovely daughter, who sleeps in bed with you, even though she probably shouldn't. Fast forward 80 years, and they're both dead. Mortality is a natural blessing, make no mistake.

The thread is iNow attached, is very interesting – I'll take a look at the video links tonight. Why was it locked though? So things got a little heated, so what? It was worth salvaging.

Cheers. Fair enough, since you made your point so well and so nicely – I'll try to be nicer. I still think this quote is hilarious though: "In 1862, it was discovered that one of the drains was blocked. Being some 11 feet underground, workmen were unable to find the blockage despite several attempts. Müller prayed about the situation and the workman at once found the site of the problem." Come on, everything about that is funny, no? I mean, why bother stating the year at the beginning? It's as if whoever's responsible for it thought including the year would add legitimacy.

I completely disagree with you. I think it's absolutely proper that such nonsense is ridiculed – and I'd do it again. I hope the random reader does pick up on a general dogmatic outlook, because religion – as it's commonly understood – is utter pish. Bloody angels and miracles – it's mental that this hokum is forced on people. I'd also argue that more people would find consolation in the community's conviction on the matter, than would be repelled by it – even if the said conviction comes in the form of derision. I also don't think you should ever have to suspend your sense of humour – unless the timing's distasteful. If you can't see the funny side of something, that's your loss – I have the right to highlight what tickles me, you have the right to be offended by it, but that doesn't mean you're right. I don't necessarily mean you by the way, I'm just making the point. Brainteaserfan, are you prepared to accept there may not being a God?

It's the harmful and prevalent consequences of religion that need to be eradicated and it's perfectly reasonable to suppose, the only way of doing that is by eliminating religions as recognised, authoritative global organisations – organisations that people are willing to die for no less. If it were just old ladies gathering at the local village church on a Sunday, nobody would have a problem. Unfortunately, in the west that's what many people associate with religion – yet it's that damning effect religion has far from our doorstep, that is the genuine source of anti-religious sentiment, or more specifically militant atheism. Sorry for saying I wanted to swear at you, it was tongue in cheek but it's still a little unnecessary and rude.

Wow. I really want to swear at you. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/oct/09/aids As if a reference is required.

Not really mate, no. It's beyond a battle, it's a war – by definition. The two are constantly at loggerheads – and the scientific POV is almost exclusively the moral perspective. In the scheme of things, it's pretty crucial the scientific community views religion as something to overcome. There are quite literally, lives at stake.

Okay, okay, we've established nothing is inarguable, literally. Now you're just being argumentative!

Yes, it's as though God only intervenes in matters of manual labour, i.e. Muller's blocked drain. "God! There's a massive wave approaching Thailand!" "Is it anything to do with a faulty tap in Malaysia?" "No, there was an earthquake in the Indian Ocean." "Ugh, what have I told you about bothering me unnecessarily!?" "But God, many, many, many people may…" "Not listening!" "But..." "Can't hear you!"

Ah, well it's beyond doubt that anything is literally arguable. "Cogito ergo sum." "I disagree." Job done. A few minutes ago, I had an odd thought. Slightly off topic, but imagine if for just one day you attempted to correct everything anybody said that was incorrect or even, slightly off the mark. I'll give you an example. I was explaining to the cleaner, that I wanted to leave on time but that the motorway was jammed and there was no way I'd be off on time if it didn't clear up. He said, as he was walking away, "I'll keep my fingers crossed for you." Can you imagine how awkward it would have been, if I'd have asked why – and then gone into the fallacies of superstition?

I think, therefore I am. Let's, so we feel sufficiently removed from the quote, replace 'I' with this, Ͽ – a symbol I found in the MS Word symbol database a while ago. I'm sure you'll agree it looks like a single, horizontal tit – which is a great reason to use it. Ͽ thinks, therefore Ͽ is. Whatever Ͽ is – a human, a shovel, a cool dusk breeze – if it is capable of introspection, in fact of any degree of consideration what so ever, it can be certain it exists as a sentient being. It doesn't have to know what it is, just that it is. Come on, that's bulletproof, no?

Like an idiot, I bothered reading the relevant section - and I'm glad I did. Here's the pick of the bunch: "In 1862, it was discovered that one of the drains was blocked. Being some 11 feet underground, workmen were unable to find the blockage despite several attempts. Müller prayed about the situation and the workman at once found the site of the problem." I hand on heart find this f***ing funny. Obviously, I am now a Christian - you simply can't ignore such phenomena. It's mental. Think about it, this is the example we were offered as proof of miracles. It's funny, sad and disheartening all at once - but mainly funny.

You could just say, "...wrong" to every point anybody makes, however water-tight. Actually, that sounds like fun.