On 27 Nov 2002, David Dyer-Bennet wrote: > >I object strenuously to the whole concept of religion, spirituality, >etc. It's superstitious nonsense, and hurts people, and destroys >great civilizations. > Eh. I sometimes think this, but I am less certain than you are. The way I would re-phrase your statement is that cruelty and wilfull stupidity hurt people, and that all too often religion is used as an excuse to commit cruel and stupid acts. But religion or spirituality is just a way of thinking and/or feeling about the universe. It may not the "best" way to think or feel about the universe, but it can just as easily be neutral or positive as negative in its effects. If religion is harmful, does it necessarily follow that the absence of religion is beneficial? The usual counterexample, by the way, to "religion considered harmful" is Josef Stalin - a non-religious man, he believed in himself, and in his right to kill or imprison anyone who disagreed with him. *shrug* Damned if you do and damned if you don't.