T day

Hello sports fans! Did anyone catch Avi Lewis hosting The Big Picture last night? The panel watched Richard Dawkins' documentary about fanatical religion and the harm it causes the world (he is an atheist), and then they debated it. It was fantastic! They had several prominent Canadian religious figures there who "sermonized" a bit, and this was peppered by comments from the general audience. It was both enlightening and terrifying (the zeal with which the Christian right seems to be organizing a grass roots campaign a la United States makes me want to move to France, land of no religious symbolism).
Some of the thoughts I was left with:
1) isn't it a bit ridiculous, that in a room of "grown ups", some of whom are quite educated, the individuals still believe resolutely that they are unfailingly correct? I mean, come on! How do you know your god is the one true god?
2) the fanaticism and ignorance with which Dr. Charles McVety (President of Canada Christian College) pontificated was abhorrent. A fellow panelist was Oxford educated and McVety practically sneered every time Oxford was mentioned. Boy howdy, what kind of education do you get at the Canada Christian College anyways? Well, I suppose Darwin is out. Maybe one could excel at "loving God lots".
3) I really couldn't see the difference between the Christian zealots and the Middle Eastern zealots.
4) some religious leaders (again, prominently McVety) want to combine religion and politics (again, that happens and I am GONE), though as an astute audience member pointed out, that hasn't worked out so well in places like Afghanistan.
There are other points, but I have to head out shortly. Today is the day! I am heading to the hospital in half an hour. Wish me luck.