As most religions are based on being the "true" religion, any major civilisation that was not based on your religion was a major civilisation without religion.

I too believe in fair play for religions, but also fair play for stamp collectors. the difference is that stamp collectors don't try to interfere with my life by attaching their hobby to laws.

If somebody wants to be a member of a religious sect, then get on with it. Same as if somebody wants to be a morris dancer or athlete. But to say that your hobby affects me and I must be affected by it, then don't be surprised if I come over all angry and carry out my "desperate smearing." Nothing desperate, nothing smearing actually, just debating this particular thread;

Religious belief has no standing in law I believe the thread to be. Some people are trying to say it is a good thing, others that we are a religious society. really? I am part of society too and so are the vast majority of people in The UK.   it doesn't follow that we are sucked in by religious nonsense. There is no such thing as God, and if there was, he / she / it must have more important things to worry about than asking us to stone women, kill our offspring, shag our daughters and all the other disturbing commands of the bible that god botherers hypocritically ignore when trying to smugly say they lead a Christian life.

There may not be a god, but there is UK law. And UK law seems to have a much higher moral code than the bible. So, what's the next debate?