I'm perfectly fine with the idea that most Christians and Muslims are good people who want to believe their religion and their god are also good. Yet, I oppose Islam and Christianity because of the potential danger in each case.
The fundamentalist is the one who follows scripture and takes its religion to its logical conclusion. The moderate is just one who waters their faith down with modernity, conscience and other foreign elements. Therefore, these religions can be expected to produce a number of fundies per moderates. What the ratio is exactly is difficult to say but if even 10% turn fundy, that's a problem.
The problem does seem to be worse in countries where the religion becomes a dominant part of the population. In the USA, Christianity has become a serious problem, held in check only by our constitution. It interferes with the science education of our children, certain forms of scientific research (such as stem cells) and social issues. I can tell you from having visited Indonesia, a moderate Muslim country, Christians there are terrified, literally terrified, of Islamic violence and discriminatory laws.
I'm not familiar enough with psychology to know why that is. Perhaps it's a group or mob mentality. When you live in a country where secularism is ascendant, there may be the tendency toward moderation (as with Christians in the UK and elsewhere in Europe where their beliefs seem mild, almost deistic, in comparison to their average counterparts in America). Those who live in the UK can correct me on this point if I'm wrong.
The fundamentalist is the one who follows scripture and takes its religion to its logical conclusion. The moderate is just one who waters their faith down with modernity, conscience and other foreign elements. Therefore, these religions can be expected to produce a number of fundies per moderates. What the ratio is exactly is difficult to say but if even 10% turn fundy, that's a problem.
The problem does seem to be worse in countries where the religion becomes a dominant part of the population. In the USA, Christianity has become a serious problem, held in check only by our constitution. It interferes with the science education of our children, certain forms of scientific research (such as stem cells) and social issues. I can tell you from having visited Indonesia, a moderate Muslim country, Christians there are terrified, literally terrified, of Islamic violence and discriminatory laws.
I'm not familiar enough with psychology to know why that is. Perhaps it's a group or mob mentality. When you live in a country where secularism is ascendant, there may be the tendency toward moderation (as with Christians in the UK and elsewhere in Europe where their beliefs seem mild, almost deistic, in comparison to their average counterparts in America). Those who live in the UK can correct me on this point if I'm wrong.
Atheist Forums Hall of Shame:
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
"The trinity can be equated to having your cake and eating it too."
... -Lucent, trying to defend the Trinity concept
"(Yahweh's) actions are good because (Yahweh) is the ultimate standard of goodness. That’s not begging the question"
... -Statler Waldorf, Christian apologist
