Do religions promote insanity?

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Religion is for the intellectually lazy, the gullible, or the emotionally vulnerable. They need to read this book!

What I find intriguing is the interplay between these attributes. I have some empathetic understanding of those that are gullible and/or emotionally vulnerable. In my experience conversations with theists of this sort can be fruitful; not for conversion, but for understanding. Gullibility alone can be overcome simply through conversation and explanation. Emotional vulnerability takes more effort to overcome in that unravelling the basis for the emotional attachment must be understood and addressed first, but it can be done. I have a lot of tolerance in most cases like these.

I quickly lose patience with most that are intellectually lazy. If intellectual laziness is combined with gullibility and/or emotional vulnerability, there's no hope. I have an acquaintence that recently told me that he's sticking with god because he doesn't want to take the time to consider evolution, cosmology, non-religios ideas of ethics, etc. I would usually dismiss meaningful conversation with people like this; however, when we meet he constantly probes me on topics he has already said he doesn't understand and doesn't care to. I think he actually does care, but is overcoming some embarassment to engage. I'll have to see is he can overcome.

Thanks for sharing this story. When I look inside of myself, and dig into my past experiences, feelings, emotions, desires, and motivations (in my "born again" days) I can see a pattern of fear. It was near paralyzing fear - one that would not subside. I thought, "Where did we come from? It must have been a God? Who else could have done it? The bible makes so much sense! It rings so true with my heart! It has so much wisdom! I know it's the answer." The problem was, I was ignoring all of the counter evidence and I was literally AFRAID to read books that argued against my beliefs/faith (i.e. - books like Losing Faith in Faith - Dan Barker).

Well, that fear was actualized. However, being a musician I now see where that fear went, and it actually turned into confidence. It was like fear of being on stage or in front of people. It's so terrifying, but once you step out and do it, the fear passes and you are calm, motivated, and confident. Time to rock! Christianity is fear based (fear of dying, fear of the unknown, fear of loneliness, fear of loss, etc), and once you let go of that fear you realize there is nothing to be afraid of (aka - no man behind the curtain) except fear itself.