Five Things Atheists Have Wrong About Religion...[This is a good read and should provide some interesting dialogue]. (Buddhism, Mormons)

[Kerby W-R]

5 Things Atheists Have Wrong About Religion | | AlterNet

[SeekerSA]

Lets have a look.

Liberal and Moderate Religion Justifies Religious Extremism While this often repeated claim seems logical at first glance, upon examination it is nothing more than another simplistic idea that provides a feel good rallying cry for those who want to denounce religion in its entirety.

Citing Sam Harris and Dawkings is no way representative of all atheist thinking. Why would we want to eliminate religion in its entirety? Religion is doing a fine job all on its own, their numbers are dwindling and we simply only need to challenge the religious dogma and resist its influence on government and education. I do believe young folk can already see that religion is but a political tool as the lines are already so blurred.

Religion Requires a Belief in a Supernatural God This claim, expressed by Christopher Hitchens as “to be religious is to be a theist” seems to be a difficult myth for some atheists to abandon. Many seem content with this intellectually inaccurate definition of religion. However, if you open any “Religion 101″ textbook you will find a variety of traditions that don’t require belief in any god, miracles or supernatural entities including Taoism, Jainism, Confucianism and Buddhism. Unitarian Universalism doesn’t require belief in any divinity either.

These are not the folk that are a threat to society and the future of our youth. Going back to 5, liberal/moderate theists are not a threat either, these folk practice their faith w/o trying to convert others to their way of thinking.

Religion Causes Bad Behavior A common way for atheists to denounce religion is to simply list all of the horrors that have been done in the name of religion and then say, “Look how awful religion is!” Religion becomes synonymous with all of the bad things done by religious people.

Actually, religion is denounced a amoral code as the religious do not tend to walk their talk. the past atrocities are a warning of a time when superstition prevailed over logic and education, the way some folk want to influence sp. the education side, forces us to remind the theist of times past.

Behavior is a learned trait. Leaving bad behavior to be dealt with by secular law is appropriate, the religious tend to inflate this to encompass namely matters of a sexual nature and what goes on behind closed doors is nobody's business. Of course I exclude bestiality and pedophilia but who is really the most guilty of these? Need I say more?

Atheists are Anti-Religious This false belief stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of what atheism and religion are. Atheism is not in any way shape or form related to an opinion about religion. It is simply the assertion that god does not exist, nothing more and nothing less.

Agreed but does go onto defend the more gentler religions that do not pose any threat, I am sure we can agree that is a no brainer.

All Religions are the Same and are “Equally Crazy” Many atheists often claim that they are wrongly accused of not understanding the differences between religions. “Of course we do!” I’ve heard them say. But yet this is meaningless unless they are willing to treat these differences differently.

The predominant "threat" is christianity (and derivatives) followed by islam. The special appeal for Unitarians really is IMO not necessary. These are anyway minor religions and usually adherents are placid folk.

The political clout that xians can garner like Prop 8 and other anti gay laws shows us that we have to still educate people that this is not a contagious disease. They are normal folk with a different sexual identity.

The main aspect of course is education and the attempts of teaching the creation myth alongside ToE as factual. To a lesser extent, government policy and lastly the micromanagement of the female uterus viz abortion and to a lesser extent, denial of BCP's by some pharmacies.

Thankfully here in SA we have evolved past this with a totally secular modern constitution and the sky did not fall, churches did not have to close or go underground etc. The Civil laws provide for protection of all minorities and all are protected and afforded equal rights to liberty and justice. Free speech has provisos, stuff like the Westboro baptists would not be tolerated under our constitutional law, it is classified as hate speech.

Love and tolerance is possible w/o any ME archaic inputs.

[Hueffenhardt]

Things Atheists Have Wrong About Religion

The title falsely implies all atheists have these things wrong about religion. The title should be: "5 Things Some Atheists Have Wrong About Religion".

5. Liberal and Moderate Religion Justifies Religious Extremism

Although some atheists have expressed that view, I don't share it. In fact I am a member of a liberal religion, Unitarian Universalism, as are a number of my fellow atheists.

4. Religion Requires a Belief in a Supernatural God

I dare say most atheists don't believe that. Most atheists are familiar with the religion Buddhism, for example.

3. Religion Causes Bad Behavior

Here, I think the author is wrong. A basic tenet of cognitive psychology is one's beliefs lead to one's behavior. I used to be Mormon, and Mormonism taught me that God doesn't approve of homosexual relations. I often thought about the issue and concluded that the only reason I did not support homosexuality is because I believe God did not want me to. On to my behavior, so I tried to help fellow Mormons overcome their homosexual desires, a thing which I consider now to be abusive, the same as if I tried to help a heterosexual overcome their heterosexual desires.

So, my religion gave me my beliefs and my beliefs led to my bad behavior. I'd say my religious beliefs were the sole, or at least primary, reason for my bad behavior in this example.

Now, I do believe that often religion is only a mitigating factor; people use religion as a justification for the evil acts they were going to commit anyway. I also don't believe that the world would be free of evil acts if religion were to go away. And I believe some people do good behavior because of religion, but even so I do believe some people do bad behavior because of religion.

2. Atheists are Anti-Religious

I tend to agree with the author that there is nothing about atheism itself that would make one anti-religious. Atheism is simply not having a belief in gods. Some atheists are anti-religion and some aren't.

1. All Religions are the Same and are “Equally Crazy”

Although some atheists may believe that, most don't.

[KCfromNC]

Atheism is not in any way shape or form related to an opinion about religion. It is simply the assertion that god does not exist, nothing more and nothing less.

Nope, it isn't.

Perhaps the author should learn what atheists actually are before telling them that that they are wrong.

[TheEarthBeneathMe]

Yes author, please tell me more of what i believe and why im wrong for it...

[Visvaldis]

The article begins: "Despite their emphasis on reason, evidence and a desire to see through false truth claims, many atheists hold surprisingly ill-informed beliefs about religion."
I have lived my life within a society dominated by the christian religion and will not comment on other religions. I base my opinions on observation. The religious in America maintain a high profile and cannot be overlooked.

Bad behavior: Obviously, religion is powerless in influence to cultivate good behavior. Religion desires numbers and has the lowest standard of institutions for acceptance to the religious herd.
The one idea that religions do not promote is that the religious practice self-examination. A forgiving religion is a substitute for the human conscience.

[sanspeur]

All I saw was 5 strawman arguments, and I've seen them all before.

[LargeKingCat]

Originally Posted by sanspeur

All I saw was 5 strawman arguments, and I've seen them all before.

Again, these points have been made, and don't assume that all atheists follow the exact same beliefs about all religions.
Case in point, there is a local Methodist church here that operates a charitable food and clothing service, not for profit, no questions asked, to help out anyone who needs help. There is not some ulterior motive behind it either, just an attempt to better "all" of society to offer help without discrimination or judgement.
It is also well hated by the religious right as being a "liberal" congregation.

So to say all religions are bad, no not all religions, as all or nothing should not play into anyone's philosophy. (As in, it won;t get a person to become self-actualized or enlightened)
Is religion a futile attempt to control something that cannot be controlled? Yes. And are the deeds of religions harmful? sometimes, and probably more often than not.
But not Always.

We have to guard against the all or nothing philosophy. There can always be an exception.

[ABQConvict]

The article describes the 'loud' atheists who, like the 'loud' Christians, the 'loud' Wiccans, and other 'loud' groups are more concerned with telling the world how strong their new-found convictions are than actually having any idea what they are being so 'loud' about.

[squall-lionheart]

In general ...Atheists only believe in what they could see & feel Physically also what could be Proven by science ...
We all know that human capacity is limited ...
Science also has a limited capacity ... for example Science can not create a single Ant ,There are millions of galaxies Science still dont know anything about ...
So how could you depende on a limited ability Sources to be the proof of unlimited ability ?
It will definitely be incapable to do that .
It is like waiting for your car to take you to the moon or you will not believe humankind landed there !!!