Pi, by definition is an irrational number. Nobody knows the "true" value. Instead we use approximations. The periodic table of elements is not a truth, it is a list and an incomplete one at that.

Exactly what truths are others being deprived of? One thing religion provides is an external arbitrator of truths, an objective, by definition, right or wrong. Without it, there are no absolute truths and everything is subjective or relevant. As such, truth, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. I'm not making a point in favor of religion. I'm simply pointing out that you can't deprive others of truth if there are no absolute truths. Maybe a more accurate statement would be I have no problem with your religion until you decide it's reason to deprive others of their freedom. While not the same intention, it would at least be congruent.

Actually, it's been shown that caffeine (and nicotine) stunts growth.

Probably more likely that it would be eating high protein sources.

While I agree with what you are saying and those skills are necessary to being successful in IT, it doesn't mean that being in the military makes one proficient in the field --- unless they had actual training in IT related assignments. Yes, today's soldier uses a lot more technology than 20 years ago, but then again so do our kids. Just using technology doesn't mean one has the aptitude for an IT job. It is unlikely that all of the 250,000 people leaving military life each year, as mentioned in the article, can be IT professionals.

That is by no means a put down of those who serve. There are many advantages to hiring qualified ex-military, with few disadvantages. As in all hiring situations, one should look at the individual's aptitude and skills versus making general assumptions.

No, the catholic church does not claim condoms cause AIDS. It does state that certain types of condoms, like lambskin and other natural conds, have microscopic pores that are too small for sperm to pass through thus preventing pregnancy but not too small for the HIV virus to pass through, thus allowing transmission of HIV. It seems that the medical community is in agreement with them on that.

The dark ages were followed by the middle ages and the Renaissance, were they not? Some might even argue that the various monasteries preserved the knowledge and history from then and ancient times and without them, there would have been no age of enlightenment (or beer).

But the $1 shield per vehicle was deemed too expensive, which the jury decided otherwise.

Whatever happened to the Land of the Free? Government backdoors into consumer devices are anything but Free. There was a time that you were presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Did Ford try that argument with exploding Pintos?

Western society didn't rely on the Greeks until the Holy Roman Empire became Western society, so while Greek philosophy is part of our modern culture, it's because the Catholic Church embraced it that made it so.

And while modern society was built on the Enlightenment, it was based on the prior periods that were again under church influence? Why do we not marry first-cousins? Not because we discovered genetics because of the Enlightenment, but because long before religion said not to do so. Why do we have hospitals, orphanages, universities and legal systems? Again, not because of the enlightenment, but because the Catholic and later Anglican churches said to do so. Why do we care about the poor and homeless? Again, not the enlightenment or secular values, but deeply ingrained religious values handed down from generation to generation.

Not to be an apologist for the catholics, but you can't ignore the impact they had on Western civilization. One could even argue that if it weren't for them the Enlightenment would never had happened. Remember, unlike other denominations, they are the ones that upheld faith AND reason, not just faith alone.

Regardless, since culture and values are handed down from one generation to the next. The fact that in the past that culture and value system was heavily influenced by religion means that even today, our modern society is tainted by it. You simply cannot escape it. Don't get me wrong, all sorts of terrible things have been done in the name of religion but that doesn't mean that today's mores are not still influenced by that religion. Even the United States Constitution includes a freedom to express one's faith without government interference. If the US is the epitome of western society and values, it's first principle even deals with religion.

We are all products of our culture and our culture includes Judea-Christian values, whether we ourselves share those religious beliefs or not.

Actually, none of the above. However, one has to take a pretty twisted view of history to ignore the shaping of Western society, for better or worse, because of religious influence. Doesn't make that influence right or wrong, but if you can't even admit its influence, then that speaks more to your own bias than to religion's.

Or he will wake the sleeping giant and increased regulation will proliferate!

I don't think that is unique to Muslims. Pretty much any group that espouses a particular ideology, once it obtains a majority, will use their power to keep and expand it. The ideology doesn't have to be based on religion. It could be political, economic, social, or whatever. When groups value their ideology more than they value people, bad things will always happen.

lol
In the West, secular values are Judea-Christian values. You can't separate one from the other, no matter how hard you try. But suppose you could. Why would one group's secular values be any better or worse than another's? Why would your secular values be better than Islam's religious values?