Should religion be eliminated

[G.T.]

Not unless by education and free choice.

So a subversive movement. I like it.

Religion is brainwashing if it isnt true. Religions are similar, but many are mutually exclusive, therefore, some must be brainwashing necessarily.

My post mentioned education and free choice. Subversiveness is your take on education and free choice, is what you said.

Subversion is as subversion does. I suggest you look up Yuri Bezmenov and cultural Marxism.

No good fruit has come from atheism. Good fruit has come from religion.

Outcomes being good or bad of one tried culture vs. the next tells someone nothing about the truth or falsehood of said culture. That's a non sequitur fallacy.

If atheism kills ten million people and religion saves the lives of double that, it tells us nothing in terms of which is true.

I couldn’t disagree more. Cultures rise and cultures fall. All one has to do to understand why is look at their behaviors and values which inform their decisions and actions.

Conversely some cultures never rise and there is a logical reason for that too. They keep doing the same thing.

That's another non sequitur.

The truth about God being how x, y, z Religion says God actually IS, or IF God actually exists, cannot be extrapolated from anyone's civilization rising or falling. That's irrationalism, at its finest.

 

[ding]

There is no ‘opposition to religion’ on USMB.

No one advocates for religion to be ‘eliminated.’

If it is bad as everyone says it is the logical conclusion would be to eliminate it. Right? Am I missing something?

No, you are wrong. And yes you are missing everything. What should be eliminated is the religious indoctrination of children before they are taught about the realities of what is possible or impossible in this world. They need to first have a sound education in scientific discoveries, literary techniques of instruction, critical thinking, and the natural history of the world, before studying scripture to avoid thought and behavioral disorders and any number of mental health issues.

I think it should be restricted like porn and for the same reason.

My position is that if a grown adult wants to throw their mind in the trash after they received an education, they should have every right to do so.

So you don’t want to abolish religion, you just want to regulate it?

Its really not about this religion or that religion. Its more about enforcing existing laws against child abuse.

Your openly professed religious beliefs are a piss poor excuse for crippling the minds of the innocent.

Like I said, if you want to throw your mind in the trash and spend the rest of your days crawling on your belly and eating dust, leave the children out of it. When they become adults they can decide for themselves if they want to follow you into hell by throwing their minds and life in the trash.

That’s nice but all I am interested in at the moment is your desire to regulate religion.

Do you believe religion is evil?

 

[OldLady]

Unfortunately, there are far too many theists who, as a consequence of their arrogance and hate, seek to codify their religious dogma into secular law in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Framers’ mandate that church and state remain separate.

It is perfectly justified, therefore, to oppose the arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism many theists work to propagate through force of law.

To oppose that arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism is not to ‘oppose’ religion; rather, it is to oppose the evil theists seek to advance in the name of their religion.

Wow. That sounds a lot like opposition to me. I have known many people very strongly believers in their faith who are none of the things you accuse them of. C'mon Clayton. I agree that some people are trying to push their religion into our secular society and it concerns me. But to say they are "evil theists" is no less wrong than the worst of them.

 

[ding]

As the populace gets smarter, religion is being abandoned more and more. Although I seriously doubt that the general population will ever be smart enough to abandon superstition completely.

Sure Taz, and maybe one day you will be smart enough to decipher bronze age metaphors of wandering shepherds and understand the deep mysteries of talking snakes, talking donkeys, angels in heaven, demons in hell, and solve the great riddle of the kangaroo.......

but, that isn't very likely.

You seem to lack training in the basic disciplines foundational to life.

I've listened to a ton of different views here about god... I've come to the conclusion that you all live in a fantasy land. So what if shepherds or whatever wrote a book? It's more a book of philosophy than it is pointing to anything real (provable). And it's ok if you use it as a moral compass, not a very good one imho, but hey, to each his or her own. Like you say, talking snakes, demons, angels, floods that never happened... It's simply a colorful book of philosophy or moral guidance...

So you don’t want to abolish it because you don’t believe it is harmful?

If you did find it harmful would you support banning it then?

I'm not for banning it, as people get smarter, they abandon their superstitions. I found that in general, the dumber the person, the more they believe in god. By dumb, I don't mean necessarily book dumb, I mean more like clueless and simple in their way of thinking.

So should we condemn respect for people of faith and ridicule and mock their beliefs to help it along?

 

[hobelim]

There is no ‘opposition to religion’ on USMB.

No one advocates for religion to be ‘eliminated.’

If it is bad as everyone says it is the logical conclusion would be to eliminate it. Right? Am I missing something?

No, you are wrong. And yes you are missing everything. What should be eliminated is the religious indoctrination of children before they are taught about the realities of what is possible or impossible in this world. They need to first have a sound education in scientific discoveries, literary techniques of instruction, critical thinking, and the natural history of the world, before studying scripture to avoid thought and behavioral disorders and any number of mental health issues.

I think it should be restricted like porn and for the same reason.

My position is that if a grown adult wants to throw their mind in the trash after they received an education, they should have every right to do so.

So you don’t want to abolish religion, you just want to regulate it?

Its really not about this religion or that religion. Its more about enforcing existing laws against child abuse.

Your openly professed religious beliefs are a piss poor excuse for crippling the minds of the innocent.

Like I said, if you want to throw your mind in the trash and spend the rest of your days crawling on your belly and eating dust, leave the children out of it. When they become adults they can decide for themselves if they want to follow you into hell by throwing their minds and life in the trash.

That’s nice but all I am interested in at the moment is your desire to regulate religion.

Do you believe religion is evil?

Do you think that fucking up peoples minds for life by perpetuating falsehoods is not evil?


again, , Who was it that said, "Give me a child for ten years and I'll give you a Catholic for life"?

You see him as a champion of the faith. I see him as a sadistic serial killer.

Lets face it. There is no way to reconcile these two points of view.

So you go ahead and mislead others and perjure yourself in the name of God till kingdom come.

I'll continue to diminish your pool of potential victims.

 

[OldLady]

Unfortunately, there are far too many theists who, as a consequence of their arrogance and hate, seek to codify their religious dogma into secular law in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Framers’ mandate that church and state remain separate.

It is perfectly justified, therefore, to oppose the arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism many theists work to propagate through force of law.

To oppose that arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism is not to ‘oppose’ religion; rather, it is to oppose the evil theists seek to advance in the name of their religion.

Which is not nearly the problem as that created by atheists who, in their hubris, reject all standards of morality and decency as “religious”, and who promote all manner of madness, immorality, sexual deviancy, and outright evil, and ostensibly demand that such be treated as equal to that which is good and decent and rational, and in practice, seek to make the madness, immorality, and evil “more equal”. This, more than anything else, has contributed to the corrosion and degeneration of our society.

And of course, it is you Godless filth who then point the finger at us, and try to blame us for the consequences that you have brought upon our society. When we refuse to support the madness, immorality, and evil that you promote, you call this “arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism”.

Oh Good Gravy. You are being just as hateful as any of them. Stoppit.

 

[ding]

So a subversive movement. I like it.

Religion is brainwashing if it isnt true. Religions are similar, but many are mutually exclusive, therefore, some must be brainwashing necessarily.

My post mentioned education and free choice. Subversiveness is your take on education and free choice, is what you said.

Subversion is as subversion does. I suggest you look up Yuri Bezmenov and cultural Marxism.

No good fruit has come from atheism. Good fruit has come from religion.

lol... If you are any indication, the fruit of your religion is rotten to the core.

I never claimed to be a saint. In fact I have consistently said I am a sinner.

Unfortunately for you reason and experience tells us that religion has been a force for good.

Your righteous indignation directed at religion only exists because you grew up in a nation that was built upon values espoused by religion.

Who was it that said, "Give me a child for ten years and I'll give you a Catholic for life"?

You see him as a champion of the faith. I see him as a sadistic serial killer.

Lets face it. There is no way to reconcile these two points of view.

So you go ahead and mislead others and perjure yourself in the name of God till kingdom come.

I'll continue to diminish your pool of potential victims.

If you feel that strongly about it why wouldn’t you want to ban it?

 

[G.T.]

Unfortunately, there are far too many theists who, as a consequence of their arrogance and hate, seek to codify their religious dogma into secular law in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Framers’ mandate that church and state remain separate.

It is perfectly justified, therefore, to oppose the arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism many theists work to propagate through force of law.

To oppose that arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism is not to ‘oppose’ religion; rather, it is to oppose the evil theists seek to advance in the name of their religion.

Wow. That sounds a lot like opposition to me. I have known many people very strongly believers in their faith who are none of the things you accuse them of. C'mon Clayton. I agree that some people are trying to push their religion into our secular society and it concerns me. But to say they are "evil theists" is no less wrong than the worst of them.

He didnt say all, OL. His phrases were carefully qualified to avoid your very post.

 

[OldLady]

If it is bad as everyone says it is the logical conclusion would be to eliminate it. Right? Am I missing something?

No, you are wrong. And yes you are missing everything. What should be eliminated is the religious indoctrination of children before they are taught about the realities of what is possible or impossible in this world. They need to first have a sound education in scientific discoveries, literary techniques of instruction, critical thinking, and the natural history of the world, before studying scripture to avoid thought and behavioral disorders and any number of mental health issues.

I think it should be restricted like porn and for the same reason.

My position is that if a grown adult wants to throw their mind in the trash after they received an education, they should have every right to do so.

So you don’t want to abolish religion, you just want to regulate it?

Its really not about this religion or that religion. Its more about enforcing existing laws against child abuse.

Your openly professed religious beliefs are a piss poor excuse for crippling the minds of the innocent.

Like I said, if you want to throw your mind in the trash and spend the rest of your days crawling on your belly and eating dust, leave the children out of it. When they become adults they can decide for themselves if they want to follow you into hell by throwing their minds and life in the trash.

That’s nice but all I am interested in at the moment is your desire to regulate religion.

Do you believe religion is evil?

Do you think that fucking up peoples minds for life by perpetuating falsehoods is not evil?

You've gotta be a lapsed Catholic. Am I right?

 

[hobelim]

No, you are wrong. And yes you are missing everything. What should be eliminated is the religious indoctrination of children before they are taught about the realities of what is possible or impossible in this world. They need to first have a sound education in scientific discoveries, literary techniques of instruction, critical thinking, and the natural history of the world, before studying scripture to avoid thought and behavioral disorders and any number of mental health issues.

I think it should be restricted like porn and for the same reason.

My position is that if a grown adult wants to throw their mind in the trash after they received an education, they should have every right to do so.

So you don’t want to abolish religion, you just want to regulate it?

Its really not about this religion or that religion. Its more about enforcing existing laws against child abuse.

Your openly professed religious beliefs are a piss poor excuse for crippling the minds of the innocent.

Like I said, if you want to throw your mind in the trash and spend the rest of your days crawling on your belly and eating dust, leave the children out of it. When they become adults they can decide for themselves if they want to follow you into hell by throwing their minds and life in the trash.

That’s nice but all I am interested in at the moment is your desire to regulate religion.

Do you believe religion is evil?

Do you think that fucking up peoples minds for life by perpetuating falsehoods is not evil?

You've gotta be a lapsed Catholic. Am I right?

geez, no. I was never Catholic. I rejected the entire premise as horseshit when I was 8 years old, never looked back, and never had even one moment of regret or doubt that that was the right course to take

 

[ding]

If it is bad as everyone says it is the logical conclusion would be to eliminate it. Right? Am I missing something?

No, you are wrong. And yes you are missing everything. What should be eliminated is the religious indoctrination of children before they are taught about the realities of what is possible or impossible in this world. They need to first have a sound education in scientific discoveries, literary techniques of instruction, critical thinking, and the natural history of the world, before studying scripture to avoid thought and behavioral disorders and any number of mental health issues.

I think it should be restricted like porn and for the same reason.

My position is that if a grown adult wants to throw their mind in the trash after they received an education, they should have every right to do so.

So you don’t want to abolish religion, you just want to regulate it?

Its really not about this religion or that religion. Its more about enforcing existing laws against child abuse.

Your openly professed religious beliefs are a piss poor excuse for crippling the minds of the innocent.

Like I said, if you want to throw your mind in the trash and spend the rest of your days crawling on your belly and eating dust, leave the children out of it. When they become adults they can decide for themselves if they want to follow you into hell by throwing their minds and life in the trash.

That’s nice but all I am interested in at the moment is your desire to regulate religion.

Do you believe religion is evil?

Do you think that fucking up peoples minds for life by perpetuating falsehoods is not evil?

I think if you really believe it is evil then you should do everything in your power to fight it.

So I am wondering if you really believe that because you aren’t.

Seems like your opposition has a more of a subversive look and feel than an outright condemnation of religion.

 

[OldLady]

Unfortunately, there are far too many theists who, as a consequence of their arrogance and hate, seek to codify their religious dogma into secular law in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Framers’ mandate that church and state remain separate.

It is perfectly justified, therefore, to oppose the arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism many theists work to propagate through force of law.

To oppose that arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism is not to ‘oppose’ religion; rather, it is to oppose the evil theists seek to advance in the name of their religion.

Wow. That sounds a lot like opposition to me. I have known many people very strongly believers in their faith who are none of the things you accuse them of. C'mon Clayton. I agree that some people are trying to push their religion into our secular society and it concerns me. But to say they are "evil theists" is no less wrong than the worst of them.

He didnt say all, OL. His phrases were carefully qualified to avoid your very post.

Sorry G.T. I need another cup of coffee. But I still object to Clayton's broad brush approach. There are small minded people everywhere; some take their religious training and find a way to judge others and try to boss them around. Nothing we can do about it; there's a few in every crowd. It isn't only religion that causes it. It's asshole human nature.

 

[G.T.]

Unfortunately, there are far too many theists who, as a consequence of their arrogance and hate, seek to codify their religious dogma into secular law in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Framers’ mandate that church and state remain separate.

It is perfectly justified, therefore, to oppose the arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism many theists work to propagate through force of law.

To oppose that arrogance, hate, bigotry, and racism is not to ‘oppose’ religion; rather, it is to oppose the evil theists seek to advance in the name of their religion.

Wow. That sounds a lot like opposition to me. I have known many people very strongly believers in their faith who are none of the things you accuse them of. C'mon Clayton. I agree that some people are trying to push their religion into our secular society and it concerns me. But to say they are "evil theists" is no less wrong than the worst of them.

He didnt say all, OL. His phrases were carefully qualified to avoid your very post.

Sorry G.T. I need another cup of coffee. But I still object to Clayton's broad brush approach. There are small minded people everywhere; some take their religious training and find a way to judge others and try to boss them around. Nothing we can do about it; there's a few in every crowd. It isn't only religion that causes it. It's asshole human nature.

I think what you just said is what his point actually was.

He seems to be opposing those, from how I read it, who use their Religious dogma to discriminate..... and stating that anti discriminatory Laws and such should apply to them, equally, as they apply to everyone else.

 

[hobelim]

No, you are wrong. And yes you are missing everything. What should be eliminated is the religious indoctrination of children before they are taught about the realities of what is possible or impossible in this world. They need to first have a sound education in scientific discoveries, literary techniques of instruction, critical thinking, and the natural history of the world, before studying scripture to avoid thought and behavioral disorders and any number of mental health issues.

I think it should be restricted like porn and for the same reason.

My position is that if a grown adult wants to throw their mind in the trash after they received an education, they should have every right to do so.

So you don’t want to abolish religion, you just want to regulate it?

Its really not about this religion or that religion. Its more about enforcing existing laws against child abuse.

Your openly professed religious beliefs are a piss poor excuse for crippling the minds of the innocent.

Like I said, if you want to throw your mind in the trash and spend the rest of your days crawling on your belly and eating dust, leave the children out of it. When they become adults they can decide for themselves if they want to follow you into hell by throwing their minds and life in the trash.

That’s nice but all I am interested in at the moment is your desire to regulate religion.

Do you believe religion is evil?

Do you think that fucking up peoples minds for life by perpetuating falsehoods is not evil?

I think if you really believe it is evil then you should do everything in your power to fight it.

So I am wondering if you really believe that because you aren’t.

Seems like your opposition has a more of a subversive look and feel than an outright condemnation of religion.

Thats because I know there is a vast treasure trove of great value buried and hidden in scripture, the collective wealth of the entire nation of ancient Israel accumulated over thousands of years.

So there. I am not against religion. I am for the fulfillment of the promise of religion.


Then we can close that book from the past and write a new one for the future..


The only thing in the way seems to be that herds of swine that do not ruminate are running things and talking donkeys can't figure out the hidden meaning of talking serpents and many people who know the truth have no balls.


Seems like some things will never change.

 

[ding]

So a subversive movement. I like it.

Religion is brainwashing if it isnt true. Religions are similar, but many are mutually exclusive, therefore, some must be brainwashing necessarily.

My post mentioned education and free choice. Subversiveness is your take on education and free choice, is what you said.

Subversion is as subversion does. I suggest you look up Yuri Bezmenov and cultural Marxism.

No good fruit has come from atheism. Good fruit has come from religion.

Outcomes being good or bad of one tried culture vs. the next tells someone nothing about the truth or falsehood of said culture. That's a non sequitur fallacy.

If atheism kills ten million people and religion saves the lives of double that, it tells us nothing in terms of which is true.

I couldn’t disagree more. Cultures rise and cultures fall. All one has to do to understand why is look at their behaviors and values which inform their decisions and actions.

Conversely some cultures never rise and there is a logical reason for that too. They keep doing the same thing.

That's another non sequitur.

The truth about God being how x, y, z Religion says God actually IS, or IF God actually exists, cannot be extrapolated from anyone's civilization rising or falling. That's irrationalism, at its finest.

I don’t believe I said anything about God is or actually exists.

I am referring to the behaviors religion teaches.

You should look up the Protestant work ethic by Webber, I think, or the happiness advantage. Specifically the ways in which we are able to train our minds for happiness and how those are values taught by religion.

Attitude is everything. It is the difference maker.

 

[ding]

So you don’t want to abolish religion, you just want to regulate it?

Its really not about this religion or that religion. Its more about enforcing existing laws against child abuse.

Your openly professed religious beliefs are a piss poor excuse for crippling the minds of the innocent.

Like I said, if you want to throw your mind in the trash and spend the rest of your days crawling on your belly and eating dust, leave the children out of it. When they become adults they can decide for themselves if they want to follow you into hell by throwing their minds and life in the trash.

That’s nice but all I am interested in at the moment is your desire to regulate religion.

Do you believe religion is evil?

Do you think that fucking up peoples minds for life by perpetuating falsehoods is not evil?

I think if you really believe it is evil then you should do everything in your power to fight it.

So I am wondering if you really believe that because you aren’t.

Seems like your opposition has a more of a subversive look and feel than an outright condemnation of religion.

Thats because I know there is a vast treasure trove of great value buried and hidden in scripture, the collective wealth of the entire nation of ancient Israel accumulated over thousands of years.

So there. I am not against religion. I am for the fulfillment of the promise of religion.

Then we can close that book from the past and write a new one for the future..

So you just want to regulate Christianity?

 

[G.T.]

Religion is brainwashing if it isnt true. Religions are similar, but many are mutually exclusive, therefore, some must be brainwashing necessarily.

My post mentioned education and free choice. Subversiveness is your take on education and free choice, is what you said.

Subversion is as subversion does. I suggest you look up Yuri Bezmenov and cultural Marxism.

No good fruit has come from atheism. Good fruit has come from religion.

Outcomes being good or bad of one tried culture vs. the next tells someone nothing about the truth or falsehood of said culture. That's a non sequitur fallacy.

If atheism kills ten million people and religion saves the lives of double that, it tells us nothing in terms of which is true.

I couldn’t disagree more. Cultures rise and cultures fall. All one has to do to understand why is look at their behaviors and values which inform their decisions and actions.

Conversely some cultures never rise and there is a logical reason for that too. They keep doing the same thing.

That's another non sequitur.

The truth about God being how x, y, z Religion says God actually IS, or IF God actually exists, cannot be extrapolated from anyone's civilization rising or falling. That's irrationalism, at its finest.

I don’t believe I said anything about God is or actually exists.

I am referring to the behaviors religion teaches.

You should look up the Protestant work ethic by Webber, I think, or the happiness advantage. Specifically the ways in which we are able to train our minds for happiness and how those are values taught by religion.

Attitude is everything. It is the difference maker.

Religion is fine if you need it for those values, Ding.

There are plenty of people who don't.

You keep harrassing hobelim about considering religion evil, and if he does you think that its weird that he doesnt want to ban it.

You also keep posting the evils of atheism and the millions its killed.

Are you being subversive about your wishes to ban atheism?

These shoes you like to put on peoples' feet, you never understand that theyre the same ones you wouldnt want to wear, yourself.

If you werent such a twat and had some basic conversational skills, you wouldnt be down this path with such a large number of folks over simple discussions of ideas. This isnt the flame zone.

 

[OldLady]

So you don’t want to abolish religion, you just want to regulate it?

Its really not about this religion or that religion. Its more about enforcing existing laws against child abuse.

Your openly professed religious beliefs are a piss poor excuse for crippling the minds of the innocent.

Like I said, if you want to throw your mind in the trash and spend the rest of your days crawling on your belly and eating dust, leave the children out of it. When they become adults they can decide for themselves if they want to follow you into hell by throwing their minds and life in the trash.

That’s nice but all I am interested in at the moment is your desire to regulate religion.

Do you believe religion is evil?

Do you think that fucking up peoples minds for life by perpetuating falsehoods is not evil?

You've gotta be a lapsed Catholic. Am I right?

geez, no. I was never Catholic. I rejected the entire premise as horseshit when I was 8 years old, never looked back, and never had even one moment of regret or doubt that that was the right course to take

"Fucking up people's minds for life?" That's pretty strong language against things like The Golden Rule and the Good Samaritan and the dont-throw-stones-we're-all-sinners teachings. Organized churches have done a huge amount of good in the world, as well as some bad. They pool their resources to help people in need.

I'm not a believer in the God of Moses stories anymore, but I was raised in it 'til I was ready for confirmation and bowed out at 12, so I appreciate that it is a Good Thing, overall, as Martha Stewart would say. Of course, I was raised Congregationalist, which is as loosey-goosey as it gets, but I've met some really awesome Baptists and Catholics and Pentecostals, too, who are shining examples of how to do it right.
I know what the critics here are alluding to--it is not easy to find a kind "Christian" in the political forum. Judgmental, nasty, self-righteous as they come. But I don't really think that's most people who are "religious."

 

[Taz]

As the populace gets smarter, religion is being abandoned more and more. Although I seriously doubt that the general population will ever be smart enough to abandon superstition completely.

Sure Taz, and maybe one day you will be smart enough to decipher bronze age metaphors of wandering shepherds and understand the deep mysteries of talking snakes, talking donkeys, angels in heaven, demons in hell, and solve the great riddle of the kangaroo.......

but, that isn't very likely.

You seem to lack training in the basic disciplines foundational to life.

I've listened to a ton of different views here about god... I've come to the conclusion that you all live in a fantasy land. So what if shepherds or whatever wrote a book? It's more a book of philosophy than it is pointing to anything real (provable). And it's ok if you use it as a moral compass, not a very good one imho, but hey, to each his or her own. Like you say, talking snakes, demons, angels, floods that never happened... It's simply a colorful book of philosophy or moral guidance...

So you don’t want to abolish it because you don’t believe it is harmful?

If you did find it harmful would you support banning it then?

I'm not for banning it, as people get smarter, they abandon their superstitions. I found that in general, the dumber the person, the more they believe in god. By dumb, I don't mean necessarily book dumb, I mean more like clueless and simple in their way of thinking.

So should we condemn respect for people of faith and ridicule and mock their beliefs to help it along?

I think we should take away tax exempt status for religions. Let them help pay for roads and hospitals...

I also think that people bring ridicule on themselves with weirdo beliefs that don't make any logical sense.

 

[ding]

Subversion is as subversion does. I suggest you look up Yuri Bezmenov and cultural Marxism.

No good fruit has come from atheism. Good fruit has come from religion.

Outcomes being good or bad of one tried culture vs. the next tells someone nothing about the truth or falsehood of said culture. That's a non sequitur fallacy.

If atheism kills ten million people and religion saves the lives of double that, it tells us nothing in terms of which is true.

I couldn’t disagree more. Cultures rise and cultures fall. All one has to do to understand why is look at their behaviors and values which inform their decisions and actions.

Conversely some cultures never rise and there is a logical reason for that too. They keep doing the same thing.

That's another non sequitur.

The truth about God being how x, y, z Religion says God actually IS, or IF God actually exists, cannot be extrapolated from anyone's civilization rising or falling. That's irrationalism, at its finest.

I don’t believe I said anything about God is or actually exists.

I am referring to the behaviors religion teaches.

You should look up the Protestant work ethic by Webber, I think, or the happiness advantage. Specifically the ways in which we are able to train our minds for happiness and how those are values taught by religion.

Attitude is everything. It is the difference maker.

Religion is fine if you need it for those values, Ding.

There are plenty of people who don't.

You keep harrassing hobelim about considering religion evil, and if he does you think that its weird that he doesnt want to ban it.

You also keep posting the evils of atheism and the millions its killed.

Are you being subversive about your wishes to ban atheism?

These shoes you like to put on peoples' feet, you never understand that theyre the same ones you wouldnt want to wear, yourself.

If you werent such a twat and had some basic conversational skills, you wouldnt be down this path with such a large number of folks over simple discussions of ideas. This isnt the flame zone.

Path not taken. Their values were informed already by those principles.

You ask a good question though albeit in a straw man fashion. Do I want to ban atheism? Is that even possible? Putting that aside my answer is no. Each person must decide the path they must travel.

My actions are reactions to the reactions of atheists to Christianity.

I wholeheartedly agree in walking a mile in the other guy’s moccasins. That’s why I don’t judge the person.