Which of the following beliefs normally attributed to the religious do you hold for purely secular reasons? If more than one applies, pick one at random. 1) Human life begins at conception, 2) Life on Earth was caused or interfered with by an intelligent external agency. 3) Relaxing traditional rules for things like marriage and sexuality are causing more harm than good. 4) Some aspect of individual life continues on after death.

It seems like a lot of industries have "esteemed individuals" who are given the benefit of the doubt. Priests, rabbis, imams, tenured professors, elite actors and directors, etc. Maybe in technology we have people like Larry Wall, David Heinemeier Hansson, Douglas Crockford, Paul Graham, etc. What are your thoughts on this?

I like having the feeling of esteem. It warms my heart when I think about what I've learned reading Fred Brooks, Seth Godin, Donald Knuth, etc. I hold you all in revence. I don't think this is such a bad thing. Would I blindly follow whatever any you say? No, of course not. But wisdom is wisdom, and experience is experience, and those of you who have it, and have had it, and have written to me about it, are very much appreciated and held in high esteem. I think this is all very good and healthy and perfetly natural. Thank you!