Little Hawk, it sounds like there is much we agree on. For that reason I'll try to disregard the disparaging "Give it up, guys!" stuff, as well as the inferences that I am intolerant. I'm not intolerant; many of the people I know and love would describe themselves as belonging to one or another of the religions I've mentioned, and I tolerate them quite well. I do practice a "live and let live" philosophy, and I do welcome people as friends rather than telling them to go to hell. There's no need to instruct me in these things.

Your last message, however, sounds much closer to what I was trying to say. "Silly" and "pathetic" are your descriptions of people's adherence to religions and reliance on the comfort of labels; I probably would have avoided those words so as to avoid giving offense, but I appreciate the sentiments. We're on the same page.

I do agree with Lonesome EJ, though, that when we continue to acquiesce in the incessant and pervasive trumpeting of the virtues of religion, we give aid and comfort to the violent adherents of those religions. One of the passages in the Bible that I like very much is the one about the truth setting you free. I think there is value in truth for truth's sake, so I think it's worth dispensing with our pleasant fictions about religion and telling it like it is. The adherents of these three religions that I cited are responsible for enormous pain and suffering in the world today, which they explicitly justify by reference to their respective religious texts and teachings. Might this suffering still continue if the religious justifications were taken away? Sure, but that's no reason for the moderate, peace-loving people among us to continue to support the institutions that provide the justifications.