Religion in American society

He sure doesn't have the "fire" while debating believers like Harris does or Hitchens did But he makes some good points.

I hate how he thinks I give a shit about his hate mail.

Meh. It's not really that. It's actually the points he does make. It bores me to no end. I was going to say the same about Harris or Hitchens, but I feel like Dawkins is the worst. I just don't like the atheist/theist debate in general I guess. My energy is better spent on my personal life.

True. Especially if you take into account that most people going to such a debate have their mind made up beforehand, and regardless of what they will hear, will stand by that conviction. But it's jewels like this that lets me wahch them:

Like you and Kali in this debate.

Also true. But this is quite funny. I like to direct into topics most believers don't like to talk about. The old testament for christians for example, or the fact that Mohamed, the prophet of Islam, was a pedophile. Gets people enraged, and I can laugh my ass off xD
Though I think the one with GeneralofCartage whas funnier, just because he didnt knew shit about his own religion, like many people do, really.

I don't see intentionally setting up a conversation so you can laugh at people's beliefs to be too nifty, but whatever.

It's more theire answers to these absurd things that are funny to me. Like a christian claiming that old testament doesnt count, but demands that the "ten" commandments are moral guidelines to live by. I guess you can say, I find it to be funny If I can "beat" them by showing them how absurd and ridic theire religion is....
And I don#t care if someone things I am a "bad person" for making fun of other peoples believes. If you believe, that saying some latin words over a cracker of bread turns it into the body of Jesus, than hell yeah, i am going to make fun of you!

I will agree that Kali mis-stepped when using this example.

Realistically your claimed "study" of popular religion gives you no more authority to speak of it then Kali, or any other user here for that matter, due to the sole fact that you have in no way, shape, or form shown proof of that study other then simple contradictions that can easily be found with a Google search. If you were to provide any sort of degree in the field of religious studies then I will take back this claim.

While the morality of a god vs the morality of us mortals can be debated, it has no bearing on the existence of that entity.

What's wrong with letting people believe what they want to believe when it comes to religion. It does no harm to society. Actually, I think it helps society out. I can't think of a better coping mechanism.

I am sorry to disappoint, but I choose to study something more "real". I do have a BA in ancient history (soon to be MA). So you could say that I had to study the ancient religions of the greeks, romans or egyptians for example, as a byproduct of my studies.

I agree. Though I thoght about giving one more example of my reasoning. If a god exists, it must be one that is moral to all accounts to deserve worshipping.

EDIT:

Tell that to the children in Africa who are born HIV positive because the Pope forbid their catholic parents to use condoms. Or the millions who died in the name of god (any god, really). Tell that to the children who are brought up to believe that the earth is 6000 years old and dinosaurs livd with Adam and Eve. Tell that to the people who are born gay and are called an "abomination" by those who believe the word of the bible..... But I guess we should be happy that they are not stoned to death, like the bible tells them to do.
Besides that you are right, religion is GOOD for our society!

Then I apologize and partially retract my statements.

Edit-

Well, that depends. Charles Darwin stated once that the morality of bees would be radically different from that of humans, but still equally justifiable. So could not the same be said of a god.

Not necessary, no offense was taken

Thats right, so we know there is no "absolute morality" that is right and correct under every circumstance. But I hope you will agree that morality is not something that came through some kind of god. Morality is something that we, as a society, perceive as something good. So you dont have to be a believer in something to be moral. I would consider most unbelievers moral, and some believers not. But most humans, regardless of religious affiliation, are. And thats a good thing.
Now, if everything god does is intrinsically good just because he is doing it, is another question. From my point of view, regardless who the one doing it is, genocide can never be morally correct, thus refuting that argument.

Yo bitches I am Deist now.

1.) It is rare for children to be born HIV positive, surprisingly.

2.) I don't think you can prove that all Catholics do not use condoms.

3.) You also can't prove that anyone in Africa has been infected with HIV because they didn't use condoms because the Pope told them not to.

Please stop with this example, its absolutely ridiculous. The number actually infected with HIV because the Pope told them not to use condoms is in the tens or MAYBE the hundreds. That's as opposed to tens of millions of infected across Africa. You can't blame the Catholic religion for a bunch of people being stupid and having unprotected sex.

I am going to be perfectly honest I agreed with everything Kali said.

I, for once, agreed with much of what he said.

Should I mindlessly worship him like an all powerful all seeing deity now? You know like Chelsea the goddess of the Dutch.

So did I. Hopefully I don't get dragged into this, though. I prefer to watch on the sidelines, then to participate in these kinds of debates.