R.I.P Christopher Hitchens

[H azel]

Christopher Hitchens died last night, really sad news. A great mind and a great man.

[ComplexNuber]

Indeed, RIP. I'm ashamed to admit I still haven't gotten around to reading his books, but this'll motivate me to finally find some time for them, I think.

[Lytharus]

Meh. A wasted mind. He has an underlying hatred of religion, that he spent his life and cognitive functions professing to others, to the point of it becoming a religion in and of itself.

As a neutral agnostic who recognizes no religion, but respects the rights of others to choose whatever makes them happiest, I will not mourn his death.

Religion isn't the underlying cause of hate, human nature is. So long as we are human, we will hate. Religion or a lack of, that will never change.

[H azel]

Of course Religion isn't the only source of hatred in the world, but it is a completely unnecessary catalyst for it.
Most wars have religion at the heart of them. And it's no coincidence that the most unstable violent parts of Earth are also the most religious.

The problem isn't with your average person who uses religion as a source of comfort in their everyday lives, it is the people who kill over it, the people who want it treated as scientific fact in schools and the people who think countries should be governed by it.

[ComplexNuber]

Meh. A wasted mind. He has an underlying hatred of religion, that he spent his life and cognitive functions professing to others, to the point of it becoming a religion in and of itself.

As a neutral agnostic who recognizes no religion, but respects the rights of others to choose whatever makes them happiest, I will not mourn his death.

Religion isn't the underlying cause of hate, human nature is. So long as we are human, we will hate. Religion or a lack of, that will never change.

Just as an FYI, saying you're just an "agnostic" doesn't make sense, all agnostic means is that you admit you don't know something for absolute certain - it can be about anything, not just religion/faith, doesn't even have to be supernatural. The four categories go: "Theist" (aka. Gnostic Theist), "Agnostic Theist", "Agnostic Atheist" and "Atheist" (aka. Agnostic Atheist). Gnostic, as you might have guessed, just means that you declare you know something as a fact and that there is no denying it whatsoever.

Many people flinch at the term "Atheist" since it has some stigma built up in many parts of the world (the "bible belt" of America and the Middle East especially), but from what you've said you do sound like either an Atheist or Agnostic Atheist - you don't have to disrespect others to be gnostic about it. Whether or not criticizing religion is disrespecting others is an argument I don't feel like right now.

Just a pet peeve of mine

[Lytharus]

Just as an FYI, saying you're just an "agnostic" doesn't make sense, all agnostic means is that you admit you don't know something for absolute certain - it can be about anything, not just religion/faith, doesn't even have to be supernatural. The four categories go: "Theist" (aka. Gnostic Theist), "Agnostic Theist", "Agnostic Atheist" and "Atheist" (aka. Agnostic Atheist). Gnostic, as you might have guessed, just means that you declare you know something as a fact and that there is no denying it whatsoever.

Many people flinch at the term "Atheist" since it has some stigma built up in many parts of the world (the "bible belt" of America and the Middle East especially), but from what you've said you do sound like either an Atheist or Agnostic Atheist - you don't have to disrespect others to be gnostic about it. Whether or not criticizing religion is disrespecting others is an argument I don't feel like right now.

Just a pet peeve of mine

I disagree, and feel it makes plenty of sense. Most relate the world Agnostic to having a faith in no being, but being open to the idea. Simply a manner of saying "I don't know what is out there." I use the word in that common manner.

On top of that, I refuse to label myself an agnostic atheist, as I do not wish to be associated with a word used in such a narrow-minded and polarizing way.

[Lytharus]

Of course Religion isn't the only source of hatred in the world, but it is a completely unnecessary catalyst for it.
Most wars have religion at the heart of them. And it's no coincidence that the most unstable violent parts of Earth are also the most religious.

The problem isn't with your average person who uses religion as a source of comfort in their everyday lives, it is the people who kill over it, the people who want it treated as scientific fact in schools and the people who think countries should be governed by it.

Religion can be used as an EXCUSE for hatred. The real cause is ignorance. That which we don't know, we ostracize and mock. Religion is used as a scape goat for those who want something to blame, when ignoring the very nature of our species.

Most wars have profit at the heart, as did the crusades. Religion can be used for hatred in the minds of the ignorant, and the uneducated.

Hate will exist with or without religion. Many simple use religion as an affirmation of their hate. By saying religion is unnecessary, we actually create hate. By emboldening the ignorant with such thoughts.

I've seen religion/faith help many people, and if it makes the lives of others better, then so be it. May they be happy and productive members of a prosperous species.

[H azel]

Deleted drunk sarcastic comment.