religion can be fucked

Now, if you know me at all, you are probably aware that I, as an active atheist, don't just have a lack of faith, but adamantly speak out about the fallacy of faith and the out and out wrongness of religion.  If you're religious and your my friend, don't be put off by that.  I still like you.  I like plenty of religious people.  I also like plenty of other people with other qualities that I can't stand.

I'm getting off topic.

The above cartoon is one piece of why I don't like religion.  I know, I know.  I can hear you already.  I'm well aware that this is just an example of how extreme people can get and that it doesn't represent the whole of the Christian faith.  To me, though, that's just as bad.  The fact that a religion can aid in the formation of thoughts that can grow to these lengths is part of what I find unconscionable and, frankly, wrong/awful/evil about religion.  People who allow their faith (belief without evidence) to take them to this extent is amazing to me.  I can't imagine allowing my freedom of thought to be sacrificed to the extent that it reaches levels like this.

So no, I don't take this as the whole of religion.  But I take it as a solid example of at least one of the facets of organized religion that I take to be an extreme negative.

And don't even get me started on the topic of gay rights...

-steve, active, aggressive atheist and freethinker