So, here's Silas and his reason for condemnation of all things religious:

Whilst it is true that the sensibilities of any religious group are easily offended, either deliberately or by accident, the impact that these groups, Christianity in particular, has on the lifestyle and moral choices of us non-religious people is much more than offensive, it is dangerous and causes much suffering. It affects simple everyday things like shopping and entertainment, it dictates things that we are allowed to see and are not allowed to see. It creates poverty whilst being in possession of enormous wealth; it creates suffering and hardship whist promoting love and peace. It stifles research and promotes myth and fable as an absolute truth. It promotes homophobia and sexism and it indoctrinates children with complex guilt problems.

Yes, Silas, you're right. All those things happen in religious groups, particularly among Christians. And you know what? - these things happen in every group. Those religious people who create poverty and suffering and hardship and homophobia and sexism, are rarely the same religious people who promote love and peace.
Every group has its assholes - when you condemn all members of a group for the actions of that group's asshole minority, that's what most people call bigotry.

Yes, there are many religious people who use their religion as an instrument of hatred and oppression - and that conduct is inexcusable. But that's not the way of most religious people. I look around in church on Sunday morning and a see a vast majority of good, gentle, generous, joyful, tolerant people.

And I see a few assholes, too.

For religious people, belief in God is part of their essence, part of who they are. It is sacred to them. When you dismiss their belief with an "imaginary friend" quip, you slap them in the face. And you know damn well you're insulting them when you use a phrase like that.

I think that an essential part of showing respect for other people, is showing respect for what others hold as sacred. You don't have to espouse what others believe to respect their sense of what's sacred - but if you attack their beliefs (or what you think they believe), you attack them.

Every group has members who cannot tolerate the beliefs and actions of others. I'd call those people fundamentalists (Lighter calls them "fanatics," which might be better). Even among those who profess no religious belief, there are those who cannot tolerate the beliefs and actions of others. Is there really much difference between intolerant believers, and intolerant unbelievers?

If you're a tolerant person, you'll quit the "imaginary friend" shit. It's offensive.

-Joe Offer-