Sorry. No rudeness was intended. (I said it was "tempting"; I didn't say I'd yielded to the temptation.) I don't know how this belief correlates with religiousness among scientists, and wouldn't presume to guess. I believe that it is mysticism, though, whether intended or not.

I think I've covered your other point in previous comments. I'll reiterate that this is a failure of understanding on my part, probably due as Nancy says to different emotional axioms. Nobody's managed to explain it to me yet in a way I can grok. Which doesn't mean nobody ever will...