Is being an atheist important to you?

[900ft j]

I consider religion, faith, and belief in gods harmful to our species.

Maybe so. We've never had a society without those things, though, so it's hard to know. 

What argument do you have for this idea?

Faith is belief in the abscence of, or despite evidence to contrary. How can people act in their best itnerest or that of their species if they consider it a virtue to deny evidence? (example: some religions refusing medical aid to their children)

Religion has been the justification for holy wars, executing homosexuals, stoning women. Yes, atrocities are also committed without religion as justification, and those drivers ofdoesn't give a pass to all.

Belief in gods hands over our responsibility to act on our own behalf and that of others. Someone told me he didn't care about climate change, refused to believe it was real because "the planet will burn when God wants it to burn."  Belief in gods can make people fail to look to their own strengths by leaning on the hope a god will intercede on their behalf. Belief in gods can create cultures of eternal children who never take on an adutl role, always feeling there is an all knowing parent forever there fundamentally in control no matter what people do.

Are there some positive aspects of religion? Sure, but none that can't be found outside of religion without the costs of religion.

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Maybe so. We've never had a society without those things, though, so it's hard to know. 

What argument do you have for this idea?

sorry, did you mean what argument do I have for the idea that "We've never had a society without those things"? If that's what you were asking, then the simple argument is, as I said, find the source of those wrongs and address them in all cases. Religion doesn't get a pass because other aspects of society produce similar wrongs. That doesn't mean that religion isn't responsible for the wrongs it does. We rightfully criticise some political regimes for the human rights violations they commit and promote, and those who care about human rights do what they can to take these down. Some religions also commit and promote such violations and should not be tolerated any more than an abusive regime.