I must say i am impressed with your site yet heres the rub i can only look at your opinion and point of veiw and those hateful people who send out hate mail but how can anyone tell which is bullshit i know you encourage others to seek out research on religious or philosophical veiws on their own but how can you make a real point to any one with out doing it yourself. Show poeple the religious fanatics are realy the crazy ones merely asking themselves the question have you accepted christ when they lean over you with those judgmental eyes. People need to see that religion is no longer spiritual when used to control people with sensless riturals and in fact when they are no longer spirtual and only ritual is when the have become a cult

In the area of religion, it can be difficult to sort truth from falsity because the concepts can be very complex and, in some cases, untestable. I would say that the first step should always be to make sure that a religious system follows my two rules for acceptable belief (it doesn't contradict itself and it doesn't condemn others who use the same thinking). If it does not, then it is probably in danger of falling into the "bullshit" category.

I have repeatedly pointed out that it is not the fact of being religious but the actions of one once they are religious that I consider most important. Anyone showing fanatical behavior — whether theist or atheist — is a problem in my book. And anyone using a system of belief (religion, prejudice, politics, etc.) to control others is also a great danger. My hope is that by encouraging people to think for themselves that they will be able to build up defenses against such things.

I disagree with you a bit about rituals, though. Many people find rituals comforting or consider them to be important landmarks in life (such as a wedding). So long as a ritual isn't being used to substitute for thinking or to placate those who might otherwise question, I don't have a problem with them.