Good lordy...

(the painting is Annunciation by El Greco - 1570-1575)

This is an excerpt from an AP story which ran in the Strib today, (12/23/06)

"An overwhelming majority, almost regardless of backgrounds and religious convictions, think angels are real, according to an AP-AOL News poll exploring attitudes about Santa Claus, angels and more.

"Belief in angels, however people define them, is highest — almost universal — among white evangelical Christians, 97 percent of whom trust in their existence, the poll indicates. But even among people with no religious affiliation, well more than half said angels are for real."

There's a quote that I love about democracy that goes something like this: "Democracy is the belief that the majority is smarter than just one person."

I think it accurately sums up why the folks who don't believe in fairy tales, Santa, the virgin birth, heaven and hell, the great father in the sky -- and those who believe that religious beliefs shouldn't restrict personal liberties (like marrying the consenting adult that you love) -- constantly get shouted down in the public marketplace of ideas.

I think the quote also highlights how intractable the problem is. There's an overwhelming sense of entitlement on the part of the majority who believes in angels, demons, gods, etc. that feels like the government is supposed to uphold their religious sensibilities and validate them by making laws that uphold those beliefs.