@Carnivorous
"Personally, I've always favored Dennett's writing on the subject (Breaking the Spell is a great read on the way science can and should approach the study of religion). "

@Placeholder
"Not at all, as long as you recognize the same false equivalence is made between the vast majority of peaceful religious and violent fanatics."

"In my view, these are just truisms…not sure why this position is rubbing some of you the wrong way."

Bill Maher is a reasonably smart guy. But I sometimes wonder if he became a non-believer and a general skeptic not through rigorous thought, but rather because he just likes being a contrarian.

@Molly

"I feel foolish arguing this point (that one should know what one is talking about before offering an opinion)…I thought that would just be a given."

@Carnivorous
Thanks for clarifying.

@Placeholder
"Well, what a coincidence! If I start by excluding all violent Christians, I'm also left with non-violent Christians!"

@Carnivorous

"That's the worst any atheist has ever done? Really?"

Sorry!

Yes, Al Cracka. I read it twice actually.

" I'd go so far as to say that a phrase like "objectively wrong" is nonsensical."

@GhaleonQ

"They're just as evangelical as the worst Charismatic Christian."

@Al Cracka

"He and his cohorts (Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens) seem to have a really superficial understanding of religion, and yet they pontificate (as it were) on the subject like they were experts."

Wow, Tarkovsky's posts are made of pure crystalline chunks of Poe's Law.

@ElDan
"Yes, because this describes every person who believes in god. "

I think the more abusive part is when you scare your children into believing in eternal punishment. That's wrong. And that's probably why most enlightened believers often don't go there with their kids.