> What is it about these discussions that upsets you so much? You wanted to delete this thread way back when, before it even really got started.

Initially, that was from my own frustration over a misunderstanding on my part. Obviously I didn't end up deleting the thread, and once I figured the misunderstanding out I ended up finding it extremely fulfilling and productive. My posts about biblically-based marriage were good ones for me to write, I think, because it got me to thinking about the issue in more detail and also ended up serving as a personal reminder of things I needed to remember and be conscientious about again.

This subthread you and I have spawned out of that has only become dissatisfying to me about two or three iterations ago. We've covered this ground, and now we're just repeating and rehashing ourselves. Plus, how come a discussion that involves the Bible always must come back to the same discussion about its veracity? This was originally about what the Bible *says*, having little to do with whether people accept it as Truth or not. I admit, going from there to here is a natural path for the conversation to take, but you and I have gone down that same path to the same conclusions, or lack thereof, lots of times. We haven't done it lately, true, and starting out in that direction again was fine, but now we're starting to retread the same ground within the same conversation, and that's something I'd just as soon like to end. After reading this post, though, I think I understand how you approach this a little better, and it all makes more sense. I suspect I don't thrive off the inherent qualities of debate as you do, although certainly there are times and circumstances when I'm all for it, as was the case for at least half if not more of this whole mega-thread.

> I think you and I go back far enough to know that whatever we "argue" about here isn't going to impact our friendship overmuch. You may get pissed at me for a bit...

Of course. And I'm not even pissed, actually, so maybe you've read me too strongly. I have no hard feelings toward you at all, even temporary ones.