Sure, and sometimes it's filled with rage or nationalism or chauvinism or go-get-a-weapon-and-murder-all-your-neighbours or golf or whatever.

Sorry, oldgoat, I'm not buying that. People get religion from their parents, with statistically insignificant exceptions. And so, the merry-go-round of xenophobia and futile faith goes on.

That doesn't mean you have to talk people out of their faith. Not at all. But make sure you respect the people - not their asinine ideas. People deserve respect. Bullshit does not.

Chavez is brilliant. Whether he believes in that Christ crap or not, he has an aim - to mobilize the people for good. He attempts to use their faith toward a good end. If he can do so, I applaud him. Until then, I will remain skeptical, because of the horrors that history has demonstrated.