Lauren Rose's Election Experience, and A Moron's Response(s) to Her.

Lauren Rose's Election Experience, and A Moron's Response(s) to Her.

Link to the Story

Lauren Rose is an atheist who was perturbed to have to go to a church to cast her vote in a federal U.S. Election. She wore a tshirt expressing her displeasure at this concept (voting for a public election in a christian church) as well as identifying herself as an atheist.

Doctors WITH Borders: Doctors Withdraw Treatment from Patients Who Thank God

Doctors WITH Borders: Doctors Withdraw Treatment from Patients Who Thank God

AP, Worldwide.

There is a new movement growing worldwide. Called 'Doctors WITH Borders,' the movement consists of doctors who are sick and tired of having their hard work passed over when it comes time to extend credit, in favour of that entity known as 'God.'

These doctors have decided that any patient who, after receiving medical care, states that god has saved (or is saving) them, is no longer eligible to receive medical treatment. Patients are having IV's pulled, prescriptions withdrawn, casts cut off, dialysis machines shut down, life support unplugged, and, in one recent case, two recently transplanted lungs removed.

Religion and Doubt: How Religions Demonize Intellectual Honesty

DOUBT

Religion and Doubt: How Religions Demonize Intellectual Honesty

Christians, as well as people from other religions, often express doubt. Quite often, in fact. This is something that I find interesting, and I would like to spend a couple of minutes on.

Two New Youtube Videos Up: Death Metal Baby and 2 Questions Re: Heaven

Enjoy....or not :)

So, You Have a Relationship with the Creator of The Universe?

How fortuitous! There's this omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, omnibenevolent, eternal being which has the power to create entire universes and all of the life within them, and this being has decided to bestow upon you, one lowly human out of around 7 billion lowly humans, the very distinctive honor of having an ongoing relationship with him/her/it.

So, having made the decision, for seemingly no reason at all, to grant you this honour, this being enters your heart, hunkers down in one of your aortic valves, and remains there until the day you die, guiding you, helping you, being your spiritual guide, your confidante, your friend. And then, upon your death, this being grants you the even bigger honour of living with him/her/it for eternity in his/her/its eternal amusement park.

I Should Believe In God? Okay, Help me Pick One! (Enjoy!!)

Here's an incomplete list of gods proposed at one point or another throughout history. Please help me decide which one I should be following. For the sake of brevity (lol) Yahweh and Allah (same god anyways, no?) have been left out.

Agdistis or Angdistis

Ah Puch

Ahura Mazda

Alberich

Rescue Me Seasons 1-5 Review

NOTE: I am going to attempt to review a television show for the first time ever. Having never done this, in addition to not being a huge TV person and having no expertise in the areas of television production, acting, etc, I am not going to be writing a technical review, nor will i be writing a terrible deep one. Hopefully it isn't too lacking and you can glean a few things from it. Let me know how I did, if you're so inclined. If you do give the show a shot after reading this, please, post back and tell me how it went, positive or negative. Just don't sue me ;)

Okay, Rescue Me review:

Fuck Ray Comfort. No Seriously, Fuck Him.

Ray Comfort Week continues, but this time there's nothing but insults. I'm mad as hell atm, and I'm venting. I've been watching some Ray Comfort videos and reading some stuff and I'm fucking ready to blow.

Ray Comfort Week Continues!! Comfort PWND?

I am not sure if pointing out simple logical deductions to a retard (sorry) is considered pwning as much as it is beating up on a hapless retard (sorry again), but this hapless retard (sorry, really) is manipulating people into believing lies, making them feel guilty for being human, and making big money off of doing so, so fuck it, it's a pwning.

So, on to what I will, perhaps tentatively (you decide!) call Ray Comfort being PWND.

New Video

Based on This Post:

My Encounter With a Religious Wackjob (I Am Apparently 'The Chosen One')

Note: This is a story from last year that I am reposting here.

According to this wacko patient I had at work (polysmonographic technologist for those who are unaware) this week, not only am I "special", but, I am actually......The Chosen One.

Crackdown 2 Reviews are In. Still Confused! Rent or Buy? ALSO, Gaming is a Relgion...My Religion.

Crackdown 2 Reviews are In. Rent or Buy? Also, Gaming is a Relgion...My Religion.

NOTE: This blog was intended to be a short discussion of my feelings regarding whether I should rent or purchase Crackdown 2, as I am feeling uncertain on this point, and the slate of reviews that have just come out don't seem to have helped in this regard. However, it ended up blossoming into this monstrous post regarding a bunch of other stuff including this big realization that gaming is a religion, and that, furthermore, gaming is MY religion. I, the most avowed atheist in existence (lol), an ardent antitheist, who blogs about his disdain for religion on a regular basis, have realized that I am indeed religious!

So, I will do this in sections. Look for the large, bold, red text to signify a new section, and sorry for the rambling. Hopefully the content more than makes up for the form....and the content.....lol!

Myth Busted: William Lane Craig Is Rational

William Lane Craig, the poster boy for post hoc rationalizations and bald assertions based on outdated cosmologi- er, sorry, rather, the poster boy for Evidence Based Christianity, had this to say:

"And my view here is that the way in which I know Christianity is true is first and foremost on the basis of the witness of the Holy Spirit in my heart and this gives me a self authenticating means of knowing that Christianity is true wholly apart from the evidence. And therefore, if in some historically contingent circumstances the evidence that I have available to me should turn against Christianity, I don't think that that controverts the witness of the Holy Spirit."

''a self authenticating means of knowing that Christianity is true wholly apart from the evidence. ''

Wow, talk about circular.

The Answers Lie Just Out of Reach (post 2 for the Day!)

The answers lie just out of reach....

He turned to her, and in a rare moment of immodesty and uninhibited vulnerability, he laid his weary head on her bare shoulder, and, taking in the smell of her perfume (he couldn't place the scent, but he knew it was cheap, and this only served to widen his despair) he spoke.

''The truth lies just across the pond, and the water is shallow; however, I have not the energy to wade that chasm, for its depth is deceptive. The answers will take that pond and render it an ocean, one I have not the means, nor the will, to cross. And so, at the risk of remaining ignorant, I must stay on land, and watch as both my feet and my resolve dry up and whither away to a fine dust, which, with the first cool breeze, will be picked up and strewn across that very pond, in the ultimate act of irony. For you see, there is irony in death, and the ironic thig is, I welcome that loathsome state, for with its barreness and melancholoy, it brings the thing I crave least, and most: rest. Rest for the weary head I know rest upon your overburndened and sun kissed shoulder.

I love you, Melinda, but I also despise you, and you me.

Come with me, if you will.''

And, rasing his weary head, he held out his hand. Without waiting to see if she would grasp it, he waded out into the body of water, and, as she watched, sheltering her eyes from the sun which glistened brightly, almost obscenely, off of its serene surface, the body of water opened up and swalloed him whole. The cavernous maw of irony had taken him, and she knew that it was for the best. Sighing, she waded in after him.

Don't ask. This was just a random, impromptu thing I typed up in the middle of a conversation about finding answers and wading in the dark, stumbling around blind until your way is illuminated by knowledge, and how sometimes the journey is so difficult we don't embark upon it.....or we do, but we do it reluctantly, and sometimes wish we didn't have this passion residing within us. How easy it would be! To just forsake the truth for whatever explanation pampered us.

How easy, indeed.

Oh, speaking of easy.....

Online BS in Religion!! LMAO!

Want to be a minister? Get yourself an online BS in religion from Liberty U and prepare yourself for a life in the ministry!!!!

This is way too funny, even in just a light hearted sort of way. I mean, really, even a devout theist should be able to chuckle at this.

On the Impossibility of the Noah's Ark Tale

Noah's Ark. The fable of a 600 or so year old man taking two of every species of non human animal, placing them on a giant wooden boat which he built, and surviving a global flood perpetuated by an angry, omniscient (wait, but if he's omnisc- I know, I know.....just forget it) aboard this giant ship. A silly tale that the majority of Christians have had to admit could never have happened. Yet, and maybe you have to admire their tenacity, there are still those who cling tight to this tale like Noah clinging tight to the sides of his ship as it rocked violently in the ravaging waters that covered the entire (flat, according to the Bible, the greatest science book of all time) Earth.

Guess what people?

It could never have happened.

There are a multitiude of reasons why this is so, and we've all heard several of them. I'm sure most, if not all of those who believe that this tale is literally true or at least profess to) have heard several of them. They probably have a fair amount of practice defending the story against these claims. Hell, Noah's Ark apologist could probably qualify as being resume worthy for some of these people.

Well, get ready to sharpen your apologist skills, because I've got more for ya'!

Now, before I get to the meat of this, let me quickly run through some of the most common, classic arguments as to why this story could not possibly have happened.

• No one could live to be almost a thousand years old. It's not possible.
• There's no way a wooden boat of that size would have been built (by one guy!!), let alone functional.
• How, exactly, did he acquire two of every species, from all across the Earth?
• How did these species survive? What did they eat? What did the carnivores eat? The anteaters?
• What about the climactic requirements these animals had (have)? There are some species that require 100% (or near 100%) humidity to survive (cave dwellers).
• Not a single one of these animals, insects, etc died aboard this ship?

And so on, and so forth.

That alone should suffice, really. I mean, come on, my 18 month old daughter wouldn't buy this shit. But no, I must press onwards.....dare I say, atheist soldier? (oh take a joke).


Fine, let's kick this into overdrive.

1. Everything alive would have suffocated. How could they breathe with all of the plants on earth dead?
2. There's not enough water on the planet to flood the entire Earth up to the highest mountain peaks.
3. The ice caps would not exist in their current form, as there would not have been enough time for them to form in this climate. They would have to form, as the buoyancy of the water would have floated the polar caps off their beds and caused them to break apart. The climate in the last 5000 years has been too warm for the ice caps to have reformed to their current size and density.
4. If the entire Earth flooded, that would mean that salt and freshwater mixed together. This would have resulted in the salination of ALL the water on Earth. There are fish, coral reef and plants who NEED fresh water to survive, and there are fish, coral reef and plants who NEED salt water to survive. This would have resulted in catastrophe for plants, coral reef and fish. These are mutually exclusive inhabitants. They wouldn't survive in a planet with consisted of nothing but salinated water.
5. Absolutely no evidence of a flood in tree ring data.
6. Unequal mountain erosion? How?
7. Ice cores from Greenland contain no layer of sediments, which you would have seen if the entire planet had been flooded. The salinity levels never changed.
8. Egyptian civilization was in full swing during this time, building pyramids, living life. No great extinction, and not one mention of a global flood. Huh.
9. So, since all of the plants would have died due to being flooded with salinated water (not that the salinity actually matters, being flooded with water alone would do it), aside from the suffocation issue, how exactly did the herbivores survive once the flood was over? What did they eat?

Don't trust science? Okay........How about Genesis itself?

Genealogies in Genesis put the Tower of Babel about 110 to 150 years after the Flood. How, in 110-150 years, did the human population grow large enough to build this tower.....and an entire city around it?

And of course, in addition to this, there needed to be enough people to build the aforementioned Pyramids,  and populate the rest of the world, which we know had people spread out far and wide, due to historical records.

You can be a Christian all you want, but at least have the courage to admit that the Noah's Ark tale is just that. A tale, and a laughable one at that. Hearing grown adults actually trying to posit that it actually transpired, and even coming up with such insipid apologist arguments such as the water canopy defense, as I call it, is frankly fucking sad and pathetic. They sound like 4 year olds.

Your Christianity doesn't make you sound ridiculous (at least not overly so). Your literal belief in every facet of the bible does. Stop denying reality and step just a tad bit forward into the light. It was called the Enlightenment for a reason.

Dare I say, Amen?

Twenty Five New (Religious) Commandments. Like a New Ten Commandments, But Better! ) UPDATED)

UPDATE: Video released, see HERE if you so desire.

As I stated in a previous, related blog, The Lost Commandment? I was working on a new set of religious commandments. Basically, some rules/laws/commandments that I felt would be much more appropriate, if we are to assume we need them at all. I had come up with 5 in a matter of well, seconds, perhaps one minute, when I was hit by a thought and changed the idea of the blog from several new religious commandments to one supposedly lost one, which I stated that I hoped did exist and we'd one day locate (not really believing this, of course).

Well, I said at the end of that blog that I was going to finish off that initial list (it had been 5 in number that that time) and so, without further adieu (?) here are my list of ideal religious commandments, which, as I said in that blog, are of course modeled after (but not specifically aimed at...per se) the Ten Commandments (capitals for emphasis!)

These are in no particular order. A few of these are done in jest. It's good to joke around once in a while :) Also, assume these are in addition to those few useful religious commandments.

Psht, we can top that.

Thou shalt not discriminate against anyone based upon their sexual orientation, race, age, etc.

Thou shalt not work towards limiting the happiness of those whose actions you disagree with, if those actions are not harmful to others.

Thou shalt treat others as you wish to be treated, unless thoust art a masochist. If so, see the next command.

Thou shalt not treat others as you wish to be treated, if thoust art a masochist. Do the opposite.

Thou shalt not abuse neglect, or otherwise treat poorly non human animals. Do not adopt a pet if you cannot and will not provide a loving, stable, fulfilling environment for them.

Thou shalt not have numerous amounts of children for whom thoust cannot provide, financially, emotionally, or otherwise.

Thou shalt not neglect to consider societal and environmental impacts when contemplating having children.

Thou shalt not knowingly exploit others for financial or other gains.

Thou shalt enter into a marriage purely for monetary or other reasons not involving love if you so desire, but be honest about it. Nobody believes that you married a rich 89 year old for love, if you're a gorgeous 25 year old.

Thou shalt be intellectually honest in all of your intellectual endeavors, no matter how uncomfortable this maybe make you.

Thou shalt seek to question and challenge thy beliefs, including those theistic in nature.

Thou shalt not act contrary to these or any other moral or ethical teachings in the name of business.

Thou shalt not solicit those protected by the do not call list.

Thou shalt strive towards not teaching children known falsehoods, especially when the truth may lead to more beneficial outcomes, or lessened negative ones.

Thou shalt not murder another, with the exception of a self defense situation in which all other options are unfeasible.

Thou shalt not watch Fox News.

Thou shalt not seek to enforce your religious or cultural heritage upon others. Sharing it is welcomed, attempting to enforce it is not.

Thou shalt not proselytize to someone who has requested the cessation of such activities.

Thou shalt not use fear as a basis for said proselytization.

Thou shalt respect secularism as the only reasonable way to ensure as healthy a society as possible, unless every single member of said society belongs to the same religion and shares the exact same beliefs.

Thou shalt not deny your children medical care in favour of prayer or religious healing practices. Empirically validated treatments are the only recommended course of action for anyone, especially a dependant child.

Thou shalt watch The Young Turks, even if thoust doth not reside in the United States of America. 

Thou shalt not assume that this list is complete.

Thou shalt work towards effecting change in this very list, when both the means, and the societal imperative to do so, arise. If the state of societal health and individual liberty necessitates a change,

Thou shalt make that change!!!!

That's it for the new commandments, at least for now. If you have any of your own to add, please feel free to add some in the comment section. Also, feel free to criticize my choices. Keep in mind, this list was made up on the spot, and it is very liable to be revised (in fact, THAT'S ENCOURAGED!).

In all seriousness though, if you removed the ones done in jest, I'd say I'm on to something here, although I would certainly make some changes and some additions after some more thoughtful deliberation. And with the input of others, which can only serve to make this much stronger.

The Lost Commandment?

Note: Follow Up: 25 New Religious Commandments Is Available!! (read after this)

I started this blog with the intent of creating a new list of religious commandments, modeled after of course (but not specifically aimed at...per se) the Ten Commandments (capitals for emphasis!) but I hit upon something in the course of doing so, and decided to revamp the concept. I now offer but one commandment, and, the optimist in me (yes, there is one....somewhere) is hoping against all hope that this in fact is a real (but lost) commandment, that we will one day stumble upon. Before I reveal this commandment, let me explain how I hit upon it.

I was coming up with new religious commandments, such as:

Thou shalt not discriminate against anyone based upon their sexual orientation, race, age, etc.


Thou shalt not work towards limiting the happiness of those whose actions you disagree with, if those actions are not harmful to others.

Thou shalt not abuse, neglect, or otherwise treat poorly non human animals. Do not adopt a pet if you cannot and will not provide a loving, stable, fulfilling environment for them.

Thou shalt not have numerous amounts of children for whom thoust cannot provide, financially, emotionally, or otherwise.


Thou shalt not neglect to consider societal and environmental impacts when contemplating having children.

when I wrote a caveat about revisionism into the list. And that's when it hit me.
 
Revision.
 
Perhaps the most important of all of the things left out of religious commandments. The idea that these lists should be revised when both the means, and the societal imperative to do so, arise. If the state of societal health and individual liberty necessitates a change,
 
Thou shall make that change!!!!
 
There is NO reason why ALL religions should not have built in safeguards for the changing moral zeitgeist. Well, apart from that supernaturally provided, absolute morality nonsense. That pesky little thing, that. Probably the single greatest barrier to true, healthy morality that religion has given us (gee, thanks, religion!).
 
If these religious texts, which issued moral commandments, all acknowledged that things change over time, and we must change our morality to crest the tide of these contemporary shifts, we'd be a lot better off, as I see it. 
 
Then again, we've seen changes despite (and often in spite of) these texts and religions, so perhpas, while a nice idea, this isn't imperative. Then again, it certainly could not hurt.  
 
NOTE: If anyone is interested, I will be blogging on the original idea behind this. So, those 5 'new' commandments posted here will see the light of day once again, accompanied by some friends. If you are interested in seeing what else I have in mind, check back. And, if you have any of your own to add, please feel free to add some in the comment section, either on this post or in that future one. Also, feel free to criticize my choices.

Presuppositions, Frameworks, and Argumentation.

Video on this topic:


And yes, I was having a horrible hair day that day, sue me ;)

Okay, so I have been intermittently been thinking about this topic for some time. The thing of which I am speaking is debate on the subject of relgion. Now, while this could actually pertain to any subject, I would like to frame this within the context of religious discussion. Namely, that which takes place beteen believers and non believers.
So, believers and non believers have two completely different worldviews, or frameworks, from which their arguments on this subject are deployed. Each of these viewpoints, or frameworks, contain beliefs that are fundamentally subscribed to. They are presupposed. For example, the believer will pressupose the existence of god(s). Any discussion regarding religion always takes place with this presupposition in effect.

An atheist will pressupose things as well. For example, if I am to discuss evolution with someone, I absolutely enter the debate with the presupposition that evolution is a fact. Or, to tie in with the example I gave for the theist, an atheist will pressupose that certain arguments for the existence of a deity are false. Speaking for myself, I outright reject the TAG, cosmological, and teleological arguments for the existence of god, and thusly enter into any discussion about them with the idea in mind that they are insufficent/flawed/unacceptable.

So just what the fuck am I driving at here?

Well, presuppositions can change, although it is (notoriously) difficult. So my question is as follows:
Which do you think is the more effective method of argumentation? Working within people's given frameworks, and trying to change their mind on enough non pressuposed issues until one day the presuppositions themselves naturally come under scrutiny (or they are willing to actually consider them)

aka The Top Down Approach (as it was named by my friend and excellent Youtuber http://www.youtube.com/user/RelaxGodfolk

OR

Going right for the presuppositions, knowing that if you strike right at the heart of the matter and are successful, everything else will presumably fall in line?

aka The Bottom Up Approach (also named by my friend and excellent Youtuber http://www.youtube.com/user/RelaxGodfolk

To elucidate this, as an atheist, would you think I'd have more success refuting a theists' notions on several different particulars until their very belief in god comes into question, or going right for the presupposition, knowing that if I can remove the certainty, the rest will crumble the second the belief in god does?

This of course, as I stated, can be applied to anything. Politics is another big one. This does not have to be about religion.

One thing to add was something I stated in the video: Does the fact of whether or not the ideas that follow from the presuppositions are logically consistent/follow from the belief (aka not non sequitors) change the ideal approach? I would think that it does, in that, if Y follows from X, it might be more prudent to go right for X, since you will have a harder time attacking a position which is seemingly steeped in solid logic. And of course, the opposite would be true (in my view, of course). If Y does NOT follow from X, then it is easier to tackle Y. So, if Y and Z both do not logically follow from X, and you strip them away, X is more susceptible to scrutiny (aka the top down approach).

I would love to get some feedback on this, both from theists and atheists. I think this is an interesting topic than could benefit from anyone, on both sides of this debate. Actually, forget that context, anyone, period, in terms of ANY debate. Sometimes I get too steeped in the theist/atheist thing, but what can I say? It's the area of discussion with which I am most fascinated, opinionated, and well, according to a few people.....obsessed.

Why Are Atheists So Angry?

Why Are Atheists So Angry?

Warning: Anger and cursing ahead! If you're going to be offended, don't read it. I allow my baser emotion to run awry in this one, so consider yourself warned.

Why are atheists so angry? The question I hear so often. It's amazing that it gets asked at all, let alone on a regular basis. I mean, really, listen to the words that are coming out of our mouths! Is that so fucking difficult?

So, really, the short answer is that. PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT I AM SAYING AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR ANSWER.

Of course, the short answer doesn't always suffice (and it's never as fun) so, in the spirit of both fun and of providing satisfactory answers, here's the long answer:

Have you been paying attention to the news lately? See what the Catholic church has been up to? What nonreligious organizations would get away with such behaviour? What nonreligious organizations would be defended after committing such horrible actions and covering them up?

Go ahead, tell me, I'm waiting......

Exactly.

Religion gets a pass due to the professions of ''holiness'' and the fact the people think they hold their afterlives in their hands. It's sickening. Repeat after me:

THE POPE SHOULD BE IN FUCKING JAIL. THE POPE IS NOT HOLY. HE IS A FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT WHO CARES MORE ABOUT HIS MONEY, INFLUENCE AND POWER THAN HE DOES THE WELLBEING OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN RAPED. MORE THAN HE DOES JUSTICE, TRUTH, FAIRNESS, VIRTUE.....YOU KNOW, ALL THAT SHIT PEOPLE PAY TO HEAR THEM ESPOUSE ON SUNDAYS.

Diplomatic immunity my FUCKING ASS. If that cocksucking (no offence to gay men or straight women, I love you both) fucking child abuser protecting, African killing (due to his BULLSHIT condom policy), selfish hypocritical piece of shit stepped foot in my area I'd beat the shit out of him and then place him under citizens arrest.

FUCK HIM.

Atheists are sick of being ostracized for not believing in otherworldly deities. You have no idea what it is like to be looked at with that fucking annoying piece of shit face when people realize you don't believe as they do. It's a combination of surprise, pity, sadness, fear, and disgust.

I am tired of being the least trusted minority. I would like the fact that it's basically impossible for us to hold public office to change. And I am sick of hearing so much anti atheist rhetoric coming out of America, esp. Faux News, and other right wing outlets. FUCK YOU. All you're doing is strawmanning and generalizing, and painting 15%-25% of your country with a broad brush. In the same way I can say many (most) theists are good people, you assholes should be honest and good enough to say the same with respect to atheism. But, your stupid religions teach that we're bad, so I guess even though you're adults and should know better, maybe it's not entirely your fault.....maybe.

And I am SICK of being threatened with hell. Seriously, FUCK YOU. I especially love it when you ask them if they themselves think it's fair that you're being punished for eternity for a lack of belief in a deity who left you no reasonable evidence on which to base your belief, and they are in a position where they either have to agree with their god and say yes, which is just disgusting, or say no, which they are usually reluctant to do. Which means 95% of the time I get ''Well, it's not up to me'' or ''We can't judge god.''

Right. Nice fucking cop out. If you can say he's good, just, holy, righteous, etc etc etc....guess what? YOU ARE FUCKING JUDGING HIM, HYPOCRITE!!

Positive statements are judgements!!!!!!!

Btw, on the subject of hell, I don't understand why anyone would worship a god that would do that, even if they think he exists. We all have parents, and they exist, but sometimes, they're just assholes, and aren't worthy of respect. Maybe, rather than praying for me, you should ask your god to be MORE REASONABLE, AND NOT BE A VINDICTIVE, PETTY, MEAN SPIRITIED FUCKING ASSHOLE!!

I am so, so fucking incredibly, indescribaly sick of the wars, terrorism, divisiveness, oppression, hatred, bigotry, etc perpetuated by the religious. Do I have to go through the laundry list of specific problems, both present and past, that are directly tied to religion? When people are brought up in a culture that ingrains these beliefs into them, are taught that anyone who doesn't believe as they do are bad, and PRAISE the idea of believing without evidence (on faith), you can end up with major problems.

We are at war with Islamist extremists, yet, this idea that religion is ''holy'' and untouchable, something to be ''respected'' (to a fucking absurd degree) lends it this protectionism that is motherfucking preposterous. All ideas, ALL OF THEM, should be up for scrutiny. But not religious belief, no no, can't touch that. And so now, we're at war with an idea that we can't even properly examine, let alone criticize. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO COMBAT IT?

Religion discourages progression. It forces people to accept theories and then apply evidence to fit those theories and reject that which does not fit, which is the TOTAL FUCKING OPPOSITE of what we should be doing.

It's also divisive and teaches children that they are christian children or Islamic children and therefore are different than others......as opposed to just being children. Shouldn't a person's religion (or lack thereof) be their fucking choice? Think about it: Why do you think religions want to get to kids so young? Hmm....perhaps because no one would believe this shit if they were exposed to it when they were 20?

People are using their religious morals to affect LAW, and the lives of others (gay marriage laws, anyone?). Guess what? We don't live in a fucking theocracy.

They want to teach creationism in public schools for Christ's sake (pun certainly intended)! In SCIENCE class even! It's INSANITY!

The HORRENDOUS, BIGOTED treatment of gay people, greedy, bullshit televangelism, fraudulent ''faith healing'', parents not giving their children the proper medical treatment in favour of praying, irrationality, poor standards of evidence being taught as a GOOD thing, the degradation of secularism and separation of church and state......

All in all, these totally UNPROVEN and natural law breaking gods have caused WAY more problems than they are worth, in this humble person's opinion.

But, magx, religion does so much good!!

Really?
Name me ONE moral act a theist can do that I cannot.

(And if you're going to mention religious charities, don't. Go to Google and type in secular charities. There's a fuckload, and the biggest one in the world is run by an atheist.)

Of COURSE religious people do good. But they do NOT need religion to do those things.

But, magx, religion teaches morality!!

Name me one moral teaching from a religion that did not already exist, or is exclusive to religion. Morality is inherent within us. We would not survive as a species without it. We thrive on co-operation, and co-operation requires certain rules in order to maximize adaptation, and propagation. Hence, morality.

The End