beastmaster

Because it's so damn easy?

Jewel

Well, IPU, among the reasons I am critical of religion is that I feel that religion is somewhat forced on me by the President and the media. Not to mention all those stupid bumper stickers and jesus fish. I also do not want to be mistaken for someone who is religious or apathetic about religion.

I often make fun of religion because, well, it just seems so damn silly. It seems rediculous to me that grown human beings in the 21st century still believe in ghosts and demons and gods.

-Jewel

philechat

I am not against religion--in fact, I am a little nostalgic for polytheism. The problem with religion has been excessive, fanatical devoutness which is extremely common among the "holy-book" based religions, where people are tricked into the thought that everyone else is wrong because they believe in a different God. That is, overblown piety is an affront to cultural development and human diversity which I value above all things.

Goliath

Simple. Religion is one of the biggest causes of murder, rape, and destruction that this planet has ever known. It stifles thinking and tears apart self-esteem. It is a cancer upon humanity that needs to be removed at almost any cost.

Sincerely,

Goliath

Edited to say: I am in no way, shape, or form advocating violence against any theists or the stifling of any theist's right to believe in whatever religion they choose. In fact, I deeply respect the right to believe in any god you wish, or no gods at all. However, I have no respect for any religion itself--only hatred.

DamagedGoods

Based on my personal experience, most theists are just as likely to make fun of and critique atheist views as atheists are to do it to religious views. I think theists usually think atheists are picking on them only because they (like most human beings) assign a heavier weighting to criticism that conflicts with their world-view. So they remember one atheist critiqing their religion, but they don't remember all the times they made jokes about how dumb atheists are.

Viti

You spend time discussing religion because its dangerous

Those weren't atheists flying planes into buildings on 9/11, they were religious fanatics

Religious fanatics are trying to get their silly creation myths taught in science classes in public schools

Religious fanatics emotionally and sometimes physically abuse children...forced exorcisms, beatings with "rods", clergy sexual abuse Cases of abuse

Religious fanatics advocate/condone/perform/ignore violence against homosexuals http://www.godhatesfags.com

Religious fanatics repress and abuse women...ie: The Taliban, Female Genital Mutilation, physical "correction" in some Fundamentalist Christian sects

Bree

Unfortunately, you'll probably get the whole "Well, those people aren't True Christians™" argument .

Alonzo Fyfe

Reason 1: As a child, I was beaten several times and subject to other types of abuse, and once put very much in fear for my life, for the "crime" of atheism. I am not the only one.

Reason 2: As an adolescent, I decided I wanted to go into politics and "make the world a better place." I did not realize at the time that a majority of the population will vote against an atheist, regardless of his opponent's beliefs, as long as the opponent professed a belief in God.

Reason 3: We have a national motto, "In God We Trust," that states that of all of the principles that this country stands for -- that it will send its armies out to fight for -- the one principle that it elevates to the top and calls a national motto -- is that national populations are to be divided into groups of "we" and "they" based on whether they are believers or atheists.

Reason 4: Because we have a national "pledge of allegiance" that says that atheists are on the same moral level as separatists/rebels, tyrants, and perpetrators of injustice.

Reason 5: Because every major moral advance -- from the demise of the European dictatorships (monarchies) to the abolition of slavery to equal rights for women -- has been a fight against religious doctrine.

Reason 6: Because national leaders and a national populace (in not just this nation) are pursuing magical solutions to real-world problems.

Reason 7: Because the next nuclear weapon to go off, or plague that is let loose on the world, or other large-scale attack on civilians -- will almost certainly be set off for religious reasons.

Reason 8: Because every major conflict in the world today -- from N. Ireland to the former Yugoslovia, to Chechnia, to Israel/Palestine, to Nigeria, to Iraq, to Pakistan/India, to the Philippines -- is a religous conflict.

Reason 9: Because religion stands in the way of scientific progress, particularly in the field of medicine, which would otherwise be much more successful at extending the duration and improving the quality of all human life, including mine -- not only by outlawing useful procedures, but by seeking to create a population made ignorant of biological facts that go counter to "creation".

Reason 10: Because one day I will be old, and potentially in very great pain, at the very end of my useful life, and instead of allowing me to die in peace religious doctrine will force me to live in misery. I am not the only one.

I could probably think of a few others, but I am in a hurry, and 10 is a nice round number.

AspenMama

Very nice Alonzo!

ImGod

Make a joke about the pope and the baptists, lutherans, dog worshipers laugh. A few catholics might chuckle.

The other day the lutherans and the catholics got into a debate about fish on Fridays and the associated moral reasoning while we were at the bar on Friday. After the discussion they talked about Easter Sunday. The lutherans didn't see anything silly with a man-god being raised from the dead, just as long as they were allowed steak on Fridays.

Religious people can be guilty of doing the same critique of other religions (or a sub-category of the religion) they don't believe in. They see the folly in certain aspects of other religions and make fun/critique them, but then don't apply the same criticism to the areas they agree on.