Quick reply: what of heavily secular Europe? Or South Korea, split 25% Buddhist, 25% Christian, 50% non-religious? They seem to be getting along.
Information distinguishing: the origin stories of many religions, especially Western ones, is rooted in miracles and prophecy. Christ talked about faith but he was also big on the water walking, loaves-multiplying, sick-healing, and of course dead-raising, and allegedly *cough* fulfilled a zillion Old Testament prophecies. These days, sci/tech dispense near-miracles like candy and have unprecedented predictive power. People may believe in faith healing; few people believe in it to the exclusion of modern medicine.
Militant atheism being a dead end: how can we know? We live in what's probably the most atheistic time in history, not the sign of a dead end.
Even if people do need an opiate -- and I'm going to be an optimist and call that not proven, with faith (hah) in human potential to open their eyes -- that doesn't mean we can afford to put up with virulent Abrahamism. If the surrounding religion were Buddhism or Shinto there'd probably be a lot fewer problems.
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Information distinguishing: the origin stories of many religions, especially Western ones, is rooted in miracles and prophecy. Christ talked about faith but he was also big on the water walking, loaves-multiplying, sick-healing, and of course dead-raising, and allegedly *cough* fulfilled a zillion Old Testament prophecies. These days, sci/tech dispense near-miracles like candy and have unprecedented predictive power. People may believe in faith healing; few people believe in it to the exclusion of modern medicine.
Militant atheism being a dead end: how can we know? We live in what's probably the most atheistic time in history, not the sign of a dead end.
Even if people do need an opiate -- and I'm going to be an optimist and call that not proven, with faith (hah) in human potential to open their eyes -- that doesn't mean we can afford to put up with virulent Abrahamism. If the surrounding religion were Buddhism or Shinto there'd probably be a lot fewer problems.