Atheism Does Not Always Replace Religion

Even though religion is a product of the imagination, it has always both helped and harmed humans. It has harmed them by persuading people only their imagination is literally true and those with other imaginations must be killed. Christians have killed for this. It has helped people who have a need for the imaginary gods of religion.

There are several writers these days criticizing the four famous authors who are labeled "The New Atheists." The criticism is mostly that these writers, which include Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris, do not ponder what life would be like without religion. I agree they don't go into that--it is not what they set out to do.

The question is what the world, or the United States, would be like without religion?  Our international neighbors a few flying hours to the east can tell us. Most of Europe is now polling majority not religious. Life there is similar to life here except they do not have mass shootings.

I don't think it is fair to criticize current atheist writers for not speculating on what a nonreligious society would be like. Religion helps some people deal with what life throws at them and it should be available.
It also should be possible for those who have no use for it to avoid encountering religion at government sponsored events. If those who need religion could refrain from insisting of prayers in schools and at public meetings all of us could get more pleasure out of life.

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