Yeesh. That proclamation is very rough. It really seems to smack religion in upside the head.

I like it.

I don't like it. Truthfully, I find it very insulting to my religion.

I find "In God We Trust," "One Nation Under God," et al, very insulting to my intelligence. Let someone else be insulted at my expense for once. Organized religion is poo-poo.

Listen: Saying "One nation, under God," just means you're saying something that you don't believe. What's wrong with that? We atheists might think we know better, and that's fine if we do. I don't know that we do know better. You don't know that we know better. To say there is no God? You are wounding a person at the most core belief in their body. It isn't about, "You hurt me, I hurt you." How are you harmed? If I tell you the sky is green, you just smile and nod, because you know better. But if someone says, "I say your mother selling herself on a street corner last night," you're going to be offended.

Religion is a very good thing. It gives billions of people hope and comfort. It brings people closer together. Just because we don't agree with it doesn't make it wrong.

So, a huge post to say one thing: Exercise tolerance.

You call religion "a very good thing." Give me a break. Religion slammed two planes into the World Trade Center, a third into the Pentagon and a fourth into the Pennsylvania countryside. Religion makes people blow themselves up inside coffee shops. Religion has inspired more wars, deaths and discrimination than any other figment of the imagination I can think of. Religion may bring people closer together, but it too often brings them together against something else. It may give billions hope and comfort, but so do lobotomies. In short, religion "hardens hearts and enslaves minds." Believe what you want to believe, that's fine with me, but as soon as you base your politics on your faith, as all major religions have done, you become what's wrong with the world.

<opinion>I don't know. I can never decide if religion is worth it. Yeah, it reassures people and gives hope, but falsely. To me, it's about 'ignorance is bliss.' Do you want to be happy with your promises of heaven or reincarnation or nirvana or do you want to live life for life?

And religion can bring people together admittedly, but it divides people as well. I don't think I need to go through all the cases in history where religion caused strife among people. I won't go into the other negative effects of religion, but I will say I think they are definitely there.

Just because I don't like religion doesn't mean I think people shouldn't be allowed to practice it, though. If religion's your bag, then I won't stop you. If what I quoted in my blog or what I said just now offends you, I apologise. Not for my opinions or for the quote, but for hurting you. When I criticize a religion or religion as an institution, please understand that I am not personally attacking you, the follower of the religion.</opinion>

[Opinion tags to remind everyone that this is OPINION. It's the facts as I see it. You cannot change what I believe anymore than I can change what you believe. I won't try to stop you from believing what you believe, though I sure as hell may disagree with it. Religion's a touchy subject; I think sometimes it's best to not debate it with people you want to keep as friends.]

"Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try,
No hell below us,
Above us only sky,
Imagine all the people
living for today

"Imagine there's no countries,
It isnt hard to do,
Nothing to kill or die for,
No religion too,
Imagine all the people
living life in peace"

I'd just like to clarify something:
When I criticize religion, I by default criticize all those who believe in it and support it. However, I realize that environmental conditions make rational decision making in this area hard for some people and therefore faith is something like homosexuality - beyond one's control.

I don't think Religion has started as many wars as greed. Also, I think it could be argued that religions themselves aren't the cause of wars - rather, as much as extreme interpretations are more often the cuplrits.

Who cares about greed? Money's real and it's worthwhile.

we didnt need that long of a poem maybe 1 line shorter k

Religion is not a lobotomy. I am not close minded because I am a Christian, I would say Christianity makes me more open minded. I am not a conservative Christian however, and I am Protestant. Perhaps you were refering to other organized religions.

Nope.

First off let me state that I am the worst sinner here and I have done nothing to get me to heaven, however to adress this subject I see no other way than in support of religion and specifically Christianity. We are all sinners and in need of a Savior and the only way to truly be free is to put our faith in something above this world, a creator who loves us and wants what is best for us.