Let's pick it up now with his response to me listing just a few of the atrocities committed in the name of religion over the course of history.
HIM: I am actually vehemently against Islam- the reason I didn't specify was because, out of experience, Atheists I have known all critique only Christianity, yet are mum on Islam.
ME: Nope, I'm against it all man. But again, we are sidetracked. I don't care if you have religion, I just don't believe there's a god because of lack of evidence.
HIM: So, model for me, your perfect (pragmatic) society, ostensibly a God-less, even in abstract, one.
ME: Religion isn't the only way to have a healthy, caring society, in fact it deters it in most cases
(bigotry, condemnation, anti-abortion, child rape, abuse, tax-free status). I would love to take every dime given to religion and put it back into schools, secular charities and hospitals. And if not, then tax them and use THAT money for hospitals, charities, etc.
HIM: That is a false statement. Are you aware how many millions of people are helped by the Catholic Church, for example? And, without the concept of God, how can man progress without self-indulgence, gluttony, and "sin"? You absolutely cannot argue that man isn't ultimately and inherently self-destructive and hedonistic. The biggest fault with Atheism, in my opinion, is the Socratic belief that man can overcome his humanity by being inundated in technology, and that adherence to divine principles of virtue and self-restraint are archaic.
ME: False? Do you know how many millions of people have been and still are being killed in the name of religion, who are oppressed and abused by the Catholic Church? Spend five minutes in Africa and see what your Catholic Church is doing. There is no fault with atheism. It is a stance on one topic, that is it. It's not a religion. Man, you are all over the place and your ignorance is showing. And you talk about man being destructive inherently? Do you realize that by saying that, you're admitting your religion and god are useless?
HIM: Are you serious? The fighting is mainly amongst Catholics in Africa is in deterrence to the myriad of militias that plague the country. Did you know that roughly half of all foreign aid sent to Africa directly funds terror groups, that pillage and murder entire towns and villages? Multiple millions are fed, housed, and given education through the Church, and that is an unrepentant fact.
ME: How long does your god need in order to make humans fall into line? It's childish to think humans can't get along or show diplomacy and philanthropy because of a lack of some holy text fairy tale and a watchdog in the sky. In fact, there are plenty of studies that show religious people are just as likely to break the law when police are on strike. Anti-slavery laws and laws against rape are man-made, in direct conflict with your bible, which condoned these horrible acts.
I'LL CONCLUDE MY CONVERSATION WITH PART III, WHICH ENDS ABRUPTLY AND IT'S A LITTLE ANTICLIMACTIC BECAUSE HE DISCONNECTS.
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