Yeah, you're probably right, we are really bad at forcing our beliefs on others, it is like another religion. I always think of that South Park episode where all the Atheists are at war with each other.

Why cant people ever be religious or not be religious.

Honestly some people make me laugh.

I aint religious i just live my life and thats its. Why cant other people just do the same?

For the record atheists (sadly) need to form such groups in order to have a say in the public sphere protect themselves from religious groups, who already haver enough say in establishing public policies.

this. its a vicious cycle. both sides constantly try to shove their belifs down eachothers throats. atheists like to believe that they'er the constant victim and they'er always right, and the religious like to believe they are a cut above the rest because of their religion and they'er always right.

why cant people just accept the views of themselves and others and live their lives the way they want to as well as leting others live their lives?

To each his own. I support what ever they want to do from a religion standpoint

Surprising, to be honest.I would have expected a decline if anything.

Mind you, to quote Richard Dawkins "Everyone is an atheist, some of us just go one god further than others".

I guess people are becoming more willing to just go that one God further, and get away from their religious dogmas.

I'm Agnostic myself. But this is good to see. I'm glad to see people thinking for themselves. Not to say that if you are religious you aren't thinking for yourself.

Actually, I'm of my own secular beliefs lol. I largely don't care if there is a God or not, an after life or not. I'm just gonna ride this wagon til the wheels fall off. I try to not do any person harm, verbally or physically and try to be the best possible person I can be. Not because of some book, or because of fear of some punishment later on. But because that's what I feel is right..whatever that means ha.

It's because the "views" of others can have an effect on everyone, which is a bad thing when their views are perhaps false. For instance, many Christians right now adamantly oppose things like global warming, abortion, gay marriage, bringing home our troops, etc. I won't say who's wrong or right. But obviously many people are being effected by these issues.

I personally think that being an athiest is no better than being a fundementalist Christian or any other hardcore religious person. Just like we cannot be sure there IS a god, we cannot be sure there ISN'T a god. I prefer agnosticism because it keeps the door open to possibilites, and it isn't based on the stubborn assumption that there for sure is or isn't a god, because as humans, we can never truly know that. I believe there is some higher "power" out there, but that it's nothing like this personified human-like figure that most religions make it out to be, that "watches" over us, make conscious decision and has feelings like we do. Religious people say that god made us in his likeness. I think the irony is that WE have made GOD in OUR likeness

I am non-religious myself - I don't even believe Jesus lived or anything like that. I once considered myself an atheist, but not anymore. Were I to consider myself an atheist, that would imply that I have made a decision to not believe in anything on the spiritual/religious side of existance; when in fact I haven't made a decision because: A) It is not a relevant point to me; and, B) I currently have no way of really knowing the truth of anything - and I am not wise enough to believe that I do know the answer based on such limited evidence that I have acquired.

"I can't stand it when some religious person tries to force there view's on you."

The irony in this statement for me is that, even though I live in a very religious area, it is the atheists who attempt to push their viewpoints on others much harder than anyone else. They will argue, and strongly attempt to make religious people look ignorant. While I don't believe in a God myself, I do respect the views of religious people - and find religious people to be great company, often very pleasant and nice people.

"I think the bible is nothing but a morality book,trying to tell you how you should act"

This statement is similar to calling a religious person who subscribes to the bible as ignorant for viewing the bible as something much more. Just for the record - the Jesus character challenged established rules, beliefs, and morals; consider that the bible might not be what you believe it is without reading it. In the very first book Jesus himself states that he has come with a sword to bring to sons and daughters to challenge their parents, who he describes as their worst enemies - the parents being the symbol of belief, morality, and rules; in Freudian terminology, it is a battle against the Super-ego, or in Nietzschean terms based on his book Also Sprach Zarathustra in Metamorphosis, it is a call out for the camel bearing the weight of beliefs and rules to become a more moral creature freed from the chains of belief we limit ourselves to.