B-man:

I can appreciate why the subtle humor of "Family Circus" would elude a guy like you.  I do agree with your love of "The Far Side," my favorite comic strip.   Meanwhile, I continue to be amused by the hatred you and your lapdog, DaBears, continue to spue forth against "Fundies."  Even the sanctimonious Matthew coyly employs that scornful term against one branch of Christianity.  I'm also amused by the smirkly winks and nods you get from various members of the Ghetto who mostly tone down their anti-Christian hatred to prevent me from gaining more ammo.   My protests against this hate speech are routinely ignored because Bruce and the site's zeitgeist secretly take pleasure in such ridicule.   So the Poer Moderator system only provides eloquent testimony to the Ghetto's lurking venom.  Still, I take satisfaction from communications from those outside the Ghetto who appreciate the lessons I am teaching by holding up a mirror to these bigots, despite the absence of "Fundies" on this site and despite the irrelevance of this invective to ths site's purpose.

By the way, I consider Billy Graham one of the most effective and most spiritual humans beings of the 20th century.  He insisted on the racial integration of his southern crusades while southern police were still hosing and beating civil rights marchers.   Hie played in important role in raising southern consciousness.  And of course, Billy does not condone the notion that all those who don't believe in Christ are damned.   And no, I am not a "Fundie" and I do differ with Billy on various doctrinal positions.  

As for the "hardening" of Pharaoh's heart, the Old Testament often fails to distinguish between the active and the permissive will of God.   Pharaoh was simply allowed to maintain his standard abuse of power for the greater purpose of enhancing Jewish awareness of the love of "I will be whatever I will be" (Exodus 3:14), later shortened to "Yahweh" [= He will cause to be"] .a title not to be spoken.  If Dude were sincere, he'd try to learn more about this Jesus who gave him a loving mystical encounter.   That of ocurse does not mean Dude has to embrace any doctrine of Scripture; it does mean that he must investigate the Gospels to learn more about Christ.  Dude's disdain for doing so suggests to me that he is more interested in the "love buzz" he experienced than in the spiritual transformation it might presage. The New Testament teaches that God does not allow us to make sport of His overtures; rather, God requires an all-consuming spiritual quest to learn more about "Him."  Jesus taught the importance of taking seriously the overtures we receive if we truly desire more chance for a deeper mystical relationship.

Don