To Pray Is Not the Way - How to Be an Atheist: Religion - The Most Dangerous Addiction

Inside To Pray Is Not The Way - How To Be An Atheist you'll discover three controversial essays..

PART 1: Religion is a Dangerous Addiction

Regardless of whatever prejudgments you may have, I commend you for opening this educated rant at all. I'm especially impressed if you are of the religious persuasion and therefore want to make one point irrevocably clear before I get into the meat of the message. There is a significant difference between religion and faith. Religion and faith may co-exist, but they are not linked to one another as strongly as some people tend to think. Yes, you need faith if you're going to practice religion, but you don't need religion to have faith. It's easy to blur the lines between the two, but you don't have to have religion to believe in something unproven.

• GETTING ON THE SAME PAGE
• WHAT IS ADDICTION?
• THE SYMPTOMS AND DANGERS OF RELIGIOUS ADDICTION
• BLIND TRUST
• THINKING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
• THE "GOD'LL TAKE CARE OF ME" APPROACH
• EXCESSIVE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
• SCIENTIFIC IGNORANCE
• RELIGIOUS SHAME AND GUILT OTHER OBVIOUS SIGNS
• THE CURE/TREATMENT
• BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO TRY ANYWAY...

PART 2: Is Religion a Genetic Flaw?

Religion versus science. It's one of the most heated arguments of the last few centuries. Religion has felt the heat of scientific advancement since Galileo backed the idea of heliocentrism, the belief - now known to be fact - that the earth revolves around the sun. Galileo would stand trial, threatened with torture, and spend the rest of his days under house arrest for his belief. It's just one example of many that show just how arrogant religion can be in promoting ignorance.

• WHAT DOES ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH RELIGION?
• REDUCTIONISM, GENES, AND THE FACTS
• THE GENE CORRELATION DOES NOT EQUATE CAUSATION
• REDUCTIONISM
• THE ARGUMENTS INVOLVED
• THE BIBLE DOESN'T SAY SO
• "BUT IT'S A TRANSLATED COPY OF THE WORD OF GOD " OH REALLY? HOLISM/GESTALTISM
• NOT EVERYONE WITH VAT2 IS RELIGIOUS
• GOD CREATED THE GOD GENE
• OMG IT'S SPREADING
• THE REAL THREAT
• THE STEPS PEOPLE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE
• SO, IS RELIGION A GENETIC FLAW?

PART 3: Coming Out of the Atheist Closet

We live in an odd time where the word tolerance is much misunderstood and selfishly used. In the U.S. at least, we're continually being told to have an understanding of other people's life decisions, yet lawsuits to the contrary continue to crop up on a daily basis. One of the best examples of this double standard has to do with the ever-pressing issue of homosexuality. We're supposed to be tolerant of homosexuals, but not allow them to marry one another? How does refusing one's rights equate to tolerance?

• THE DECISION
• THE ANSWER TO THE GREAT QUESTION
• HOW TO THINK FOR YOURSELF
• DECIDING TO BE ATHEIST
• COMING OUT COMING OUT TO YOUR FAMILY
• THE TYPICAL CASE - GREAT EXPECTATIONS
• THE ATYPICAL CASE - WALKING ON EGGSHELLS
• WINNING THE GREAT DEBATE
• COMING OUT TO YOUR FRIENDS
• DEALING WITH RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY
• PICKING APART THE RELIGIOUS ARGUMENT