@myelaine
i really don't think I missed the point of your post. I made a blanket statement in aggravation about Christians condemning someone who irritates them to hell. Firstly, this is only inaccurate because there does exist a minority of Christians who wouldn't. Secondly, this was the entire thrust of your response, that you and your prayer group wouldn't do such a thing. I apologized because I should not have made a blanket statement like that, and I hold to that apology.
Further, if religion were outlawed then no one person or group would ever be allowed to be vying for power- because doing so is attempting to make a religion. Once the precedent was established that the government would come down on the religions leader and followers with an iron hammer, there would be no red tape to go through before subduing and imprisoning any who attempt to do this immediately.
One way or another, by force or, as others have stated here, just by time- religion will soon not exist. It's inevitable. Sam Harris says something in the earlier posted debate that I actually agree with. He defines extemeism as anything that negatively effects society, such as creationists teaching children evolution isn't true when it undeniably is true. This has a negative effect on society, and I agree. The harmful effects of religion are not all so direct as to kill people. They enslave minds and bind people to the will and desire of a MAN and HIS twisted idea of what the bible or Quran teaches.
In this way, religions either are killing people through doctrines that tell them to kill or otherwise die (blood doctrine), or they are robbing people of their potential by making them deny reality in various ways, which not only robs that person but also the world. I.e., how many Alber Einsteins have been lost to doctrines against higher education or restrictions against scientific pursuits because of brainwashed creationsism that would otherwise have made amazing discoveries and launched us into a better future?
religion, and the men in charge of them are vile and evil organizations that deserve to be repaid for all of their terrible deeds, policies and committed atrocities. The sooner people can see that God and religion are not mutually exclusive (or even in any way connected other than using God to be evil) the better off we all will be.
