Religions are fairy tales for adults. Should we encourage them to grow up?

What's with this talk about 'the beginning of'? Your form of Christianity has been 'under attack' since the enlightenment. Civilised societies have been reigning in the extent of bigotry practiced by religious fundamentalists for centuries, that's how society has progressed.What's also hasn't changed is the need for fundamentalists to feel persecuted and martyred and how they long for things to worsen and hope for, and contstantly predict, the end of the world in the grimmest possible fashion. And of course they fantasise of being the saved whist all around them burns.The fact that life constantly improves and that all their predictions fail must be a major disappointment to you.Just to save you the bother of replying, copy and paste this:'Boy are you in for a surprise.'What

Get over yourselves, the laws are blind to religion, they're designed to reduce prejudice and bigotry and increase equality of treatment and opportunity - whoever is doing it of whatever religion and none.And, as has been pointed out to you many, many times, they don't stop you believing and saying what the hell you like - hideous though it might be.

There's some daft things that religious people say but this is one of the daftest. The entire concept of angels is pure fantasy, but that apart, we're supposed to believe that heaven is the most perfect form of existence imaginable - transcendental - yet somehow it's been polluted by these flawed human concepts of power ambition and greed. How is that supposed to work?Don't you think that the most obvious explanation for this is simply anthropomorphism?

But like all other plausible points, it too can be swept aside without further thought by the fervent. It does, because that too is anthropomorphism, but even if it didn't, it leaves the first question still firmly unanswered. Why does heaven contain evil? Edited by Tangle, : No reason given.

How could you possibly know that? This is yet another situation where if I say 'yes there is' it's game over for discussion. How can there be a war in heaven? It defies the meaning of both heaven and an all powerful God. What is the purpose of God making angels with the atributes of humans? And if it was possible for angels to rebel once (time is a crazy concept in itself) then it's possible again.Can't you see that this is just made up, anthropomorphic stuff for primitive people and children?

You don't believe in redemption and rehabilitation then?Just the vengeance part, which according to your book, is the preserve of the Lord?

So who's right NT Jesus or OT God?But you didn't answer my question....don't you believe in redemption and rehabilitation, not to mention forgiveness; you know, all those good things that are generally known as Christian values.

That is the most fucked up and downright un-Christian thing i've heard you say. If I was a religious person, I'd worry for your soul.

All the way back to witch trials and thumb screws, correct. And none of that, none, has anything to do with Christianity.

...and if you must hold those primitive beliefs, and you find yourself compromised and unable to do the job you're paid to do, then you do the honourable thing and resign your publicly funded post.But we all know that actively seeking out and hoping for martyrdom is the dream of the delusional fundamentalist.