Welcome. Can't promise you any griffins. Then again, get enough of those brownies in you and you're apt to find almost anything.
In general, I also don't like pissing contests either so I wish you luck with that. But we all have triggers. For me, it is feeling mislead or condescended to. But I start everyone off with a clean slate and I like your style so far.
Good luck with hanging on to your independent streak and optimism regarding reason. I really believe it is possible to stay true to those principles and also remain a theist, but I suspect that is harder to do than tossing the latter altogether. Of course, the easy path isn't always the best one.
In general, I also don't like pissing contests either so I wish you luck with that. But we all have triggers. For me, it is feeling mislead or condescended to. But I start everyone off with a clean slate and I like your style so far.
Good luck with hanging on to your independent streak and optimism regarding reason. I really believe it is possible to stay true to those principles and also remain a theist, but I suspect that is harder to do than tossing the latter altogether. Of course, the easy path isn't always the best one.