But go ahead and say it anyways.....just be polite about it.

"If you don't have anything good to say about religion..." what then?

I'm still hoping that we could bash religion violently without profanity. We're all decent guys in here in this community . . . and we also happen to be very intelligent.

Looks like friends we be.

Those of us who are more enlightened have soooooo grown out of religion. I'd definitely be friends with anyone who is an atheist. At least I know they are dealing with reality even if we disagree about plenty of other stuff.

I thought you were going to go all Bambi on my arse, but no, you've given me a pleasant surprise. Yeah, I have literally nothing good to say about religion.

Even the religious only have good things to say about it if they can pick the parts they like that sound good.

The only positive thing I think religion offers, is sense of community and belonging. We evolved as social animals, and seek out the company of others. This was at once time for survival purposes. Today, in urban and suburban areas where propel hardly know their neighbors, although we re in large crowded areas, many people still feel alone.

Social Scientists have determined humans feel a sense of belonging in groups of up to about 200 people, which was also about the size of most tribal communities. Beyond 200 peopel ano9nymity starts to creep in and people get less comfortable, and also above those numbers common beliefs are not enough to induce or be as influential in conformity.

Most congregations are about 200-300 persons. The larger the congrregation, the more likely they are to just pay lip services to their professed beliefs.

So smaller congregations are more likely to actually follow the teachings of their religion, assuming they are not burdened with too much dogma. It should be noted that fanatics, ae overly burdened with too much dogma which they have taken to heart, which causes them to act irrationally and often dangerously.

So, unless there is too much dogma, small congregations and churches are generally not really that bad. They provide that sense of community and belonging which is innately needed by most people.

I like!

I am saving that meme. That is my type of person, one who accepts the reality of the horrific nature of religion. Those who want to cling to a little old granny who goes to church and states that some people who are believers are good people, would not say that about other organizations which violate human rights. Only the Orange Nazi Trump would say "Some are fine people."

So now that we're friends what time is dinner and would you prefer I bring red or white wine or both?