Yes, yes, yes, I believe we all understand eachother. As persons interested in science, it is clear we agree teaching children (and adults) to think critically is the most important issue.

I just don't have an issue that there are separate spiritual needs that science can't answer, etc. etc. I don't see science as some factual cold empirical side with religion on the other. I am not talking about analyzing everthing, certainly there is no need to find the scientific basis for an individual's love of art or choice of a mate, even though there are ways to study such things and some will do so as it interests them.

I am a perfectly happy camper without worrying about my 'purpose in life'. My life does not have a spiritual void that needs to be filled to make me a whole person. Certainly, many people feel they do need such fulfillment. By itself, there doesn't seem to be any harm in such beliefs, and for some, it is clearly beneficial.

However, back to the scientific analysis, I think there is sufficient evidence to conclude that there is nothing in the Bible that suggests it was inspired by anyone other than the people who wrote it and/or the people who passed the stories down to the people who wrote it.

I don't say this to claim anyone is right or wrong. I do think that blind faith, dogmatic thinking, and, what not keep people from honestly looking at the evidence. To say god cannot be disproven avoids dealing with the evidence. Creation science presents false evidence and false premesis. Some want to believe the Bible so they try to make science fit rather than taking the evidence and following it to its conclusion. But what about the evidence that the Bible was written by men, just as other ethnic groups passed on their religious beliefs with oral or written traditions?

There is a repeating response to questions about the entire Bible. That response is to shift the argument away from the evidence by claiming that god cannot be proven nor disproven. That may be, and, if a person wishes to hold on to that belief they probably should. In doing so, however, it is easy to close one's mind to other evidence. Just as creationists close their mind to the evidence for evolution, the same thing happens to many when evidence is discussed that questions other beliefs they don't wish to address.