Quote:You don't need fairy tales to help discuss the world or people or morality or society. There's nothing that religion adds to one's understanding of the world that isn't either A) entirely attainable through actual scientific verifiable soruces or B) false or unsubstantiated.Here's something to think about - Atheists focus heavily, as demonstrated by your points A + B, on science and the truth... Here's the thing though - It is very easy for me, a middle class western man, to say science and what is verifiable is better and more desirable, but I can't possibly criticize people who are ignorant due to poverty, marginalization, and because they don't understand science they think god created the world, etc. The problem with your reasoning is that it assumes that (1) Science can solve everything but it's mostly impossible for science to replace the effect religion brings - And no, science can't solve everything (2) You assume that the truth matters the most when sometimes I wonder if values like happiness aren't more important. In theory, if I consider happiness superior to the truth and believing in god makes me happier then I could argue belief in god can be rational. I'm not being a theist apologist, it's just something to think about. If I was born in another country I might not be an atheist posting here but a very devout believer. Nature and nurturing change everything. I happen to value the truth - But I don' see anything as absolute truth, just the most likely possibility.
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you
