The Insanity Machine (and the Notion of God)

[Strongbad]

Atheists, for their part, simply can't understand why anyone would adopt what appears to be an insane idea without any evidence.

Atheists, for their part, CAN understand why people "adopt" the insane ideas of religion. People "adopt" ideas which their parents and other authority figures indoctrinate them with when they are children. The vast majority of christians, muslims, jews, hindus, etc. were inculcated with their religion almost from the time of infancy, and have virtually no choice except to believe what was forced upon them.

Your "Insanity Machine" is simply a self-perpetuating cycle: each brainwashed generation in turn brainwashes their offspring, instructing them that only their religion is correct, and to be leery of all others.

A few of us have escaped from the machine.