From a conversation where the rule was you first have to say some thing good about religion before criticizing it.
I said:
Religion creates bonds of familiarity and community and can provide an ethical foundation for the distribution of good will, charity and transcendence of self for the good of the other. Religion can be the root cause of a life long elevation of the mind and spirit. It can carry important cultural discoveries across generations and create a deep sense of tradition and belonging and be an incredible impetus for the arts and sciences.However, once religion becomes dogmatic and tries to petrify truth, it loses it inherent value and becomes a ruthless tool of political oppression, spiritual abrogation and impediment to the advancement of humankind on every level. It becomes stupidly literal and vacuously instructive. Once this has occurred people should seek other avenues of enlightenment and eschew completely the polity of their priests and other spiritual intercessors.
The creative spirit loves nothing so much as a heavy dose of debunking.
You've got that so right, Bro.
If you were here, I'd have to give you a big fat smackeroo...
;o)
=RD=
why I haven't had a decent smackeroo in a goons age. :)