Is religion still relevant in modern society?

[Runa216]

RolStoppable said:

The Church certainly has made questionable decisions, but because of this you can't just put all Christians in one category and call them all the same. The extremely religious people are a vocal minority and you generalize way too much in these topics. Not as much as sapphi who seems to automatically link child abuse to religion, but still pretty bad at times.

What I get from your post is that you are pissed that atheism has to work much harder for its answers, but isn't accepted as the superior way of looking at the world and its creation. One thing I can tell you: You aren't going to convince/convert anyone of/to atheism, if you are so harsh on religion and treat believers as lesser beings or even idiots. Such behavior just creates hostility and isn't going to help your cause in any way.

Besides, why shouldn't people be allowed to believe as long as they aren't harming others? Nowadays the Church doesn't have the influence it used to have, so science has much more freedom. You can get your answers and religious people can continue to believe. The right way to live isn't about religion or atheism, it's about treating others with the same level of respect you expect from them. Many people choose that they want to believe in a higher being and you should respect this, just like they have to respect that you want solely scientific answers to everything. Neither side should push their views on the other one.

I don't know you personally, but how do you usually get into these conflicts between religion and atheism? Are they pushed on you or do you seek or even create them?

Finally...Padib and the other X1something guy, take notes. THIS is how you disagree while being respectful. see?  I knew it was possible. 

While I admit what I've put forward SEEMS like I'm bunching all Christians together, but I'm really not.  I know a lot of christians and muslims and islam and buddhists (you get the point) are just as good as anyone else in this world, and those are the people I don't mind.  Like I said earlier in this very thread, a lot of my best friends ARE christian, or are spiritual in some other way, and they don't push it on me or say stupid things like "God Hates Fags", so they let me be all atheist and I let them be all spiritual.  my philosophy is pretty simple: do your own thing, aslong as you're not harming or forcing yourself on others, be it through violence, idealism, or judgement. However, when people break this very simple moral guide, I get a little pissed off.  it's the atheists boming churches I have a problem with.  It's the christians staging protests against science I have a problem with.  Fox news, religious extremists, and any poliitical party that uses religion as a platform that I have a problem with.  when people like Padib are pushing ignorant ideals and judgement on others, I push back equally as hard.  

I'm not pissed that science has to work for its answers, I'm pissed that we have those vocal minority of Religious extremists pushing to basically discredit science.  It's the people who try to get intelligent design taught in schools as well as or in lieu of evolution that get me rialed up.  It's the ones protesting Gay rights in the name of god that make me want to punch someone (since for the longest time I thought I may have been gay.) It's the ones who are trying to influence political decisions by banning abortion/stem cell research that pisses me off. You get where I'm going here?  My whole argument in this thread is that the world WOULD be better off if religious people kept it to themselves or only amongst other religious people.  If they stopped sticking their noses in the science labs, schools, and political offices (as well as stopped protesting soldier funerals and advocating "traditional" marriage), not to mention stop with all the jihadist, terrorism and other violence, I'd gladly drop it and have a rational discussion/debate/argument.  Until then I'm stuck with a slew of judgemental, arrogant, ignorant morons who are using god as an excuse.  Once you cut God out, you eliminate their faith defense, and leave them responsible for their own actions.  

I think we can all agree THAT would be better: if everyone was responsible for their own actions.