The Insanity Machine (and the Notion of God)

[Aractus]

I want to give a little more time to the idea of God and why it's so problematic. I seem to be noticing a rift between American atheists and Muslim Arabs. Both groups are generally really good people. They are polite, friendly, and try to get along with everyone. But they just seem to talk past each other on the topic of religion.

Americans "try to get along with everyone"? If you ask an Iraqi or an Afghanistani whether they see America as peaceful, I'll bet they have a different opinion.

Here is one critical piece of information which, from what I tentatively experience, is really unique to the West, and particularly America. It's what I call the Insanity Machine, and it is associated with religion.

You example may be true for some, but it's hardly true for all of Christianity. Christ himself only taught hell to his disciples, and not as leverage when evangelizing (preaching to the masses).