If you can start the day without a cigarette...

If you can start the day without a cigarette,
If you can start the day without caffeine,
If you can get going without pep pills,
If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,
If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,
If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,
If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,
If you can overlook it when those you love take it out on you when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong,
If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,
If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him,
If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,
If you can face the world without lies and deceit,
If you can conquer tension without medical help,
If you can relax without liquor,
If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,
If you can honestly say that deep in your heart you have no prejudice against creed, color, religion or politics,
Then, my friend, you are almost as good as your dog.

-Author unknown

Christianity's Real Record

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/GregKoukl/
2006/11/21/christianitys_real_record

Ever had the Crusades held up as a reason not to believe? Christians have done a lot of evil in the past, right? Atheists are much more tolerant and peace-loving than religious people...?

Well that's a claim that's taken for granted by many but it needs to be explored...this article does it well.