It's sad, and strange and a few other things, too.

I remember — as about a 7-year old — first having an awareness of what seemed like an "adult" trait; this notion that a person "believing" something was made uncomfortable by the presence of a person who believed something else. Why?

Why? I see it, I understand it, I can cite a bunch of underlying psychological constructs... but few are willing to look at the underlying WHY? Why is it so insufferable that I can respect you (in the global sense) and even like you regardless of what you may believe?

My sense of self and beliefs doesn't feel threatened by the existence of someone else's. And yet? It seems like the vast majority of people's DO. And they can be fundamentalists, liberals, atheists, creationists, scientists... somehow, the presence of an alternative set of beliefs is a threat.

And so, I find myself — reluctantly and sadly — agreeing with you that there may never be world peace.

And then? I often find myself taken to task because "clearly you are not very passionate about your beliefs!" The implication being that since I don't want to somehow "exclude" those not of my belief, I somehow suffer from a character defect.

"What kind of —ist are you, anyway?"

I don't know. Maybe a "Possibilitist?"

Sorry, but of a free-form ramble, there...