Agreed, but, hopefully, the next step...

& if we don't catch up there we'll lag behind in everything except fanaticism!

Don't want to proselytize, but want to make an observation, and then pose a question. For more than two decades I identified as agnostic/non-religious. I felt atheism required a sort of arrogance, and the few people associated with it whom I was familiar with rubbed me slightly the wrong way. Now that I am much more knowledgeable of the arguments, I now identify as Atheist. My question is this: Once you realize that the bible is just as dubious in its authenticity as the doctrines of any other religion: because it's scientifically inaccurate, contradicts itself, misogynist, condones slavery, advocates cruel/inhumane punishments, has been altered both deliberately & unwittingly, it then becomes apparent that it is much more likely the handiwork of fallible, barbaric, self-interested, narrow in mind and perspective humans, rather than of a universal, all knowing, all benevolent supreme being. So if there is a god, it would not be the god of the bible, or likely any other religion men have devised (all). If that be the case, then what does it matter if there is a god? It comes with no doctrine or dogma to follow? It devised a world in which many animals have to eat other animals live, as well as many other examples of tremendous pain and suffering. So if it exists, it is not really worthy of worship anyway? So why bother with the question in the first place? Sorry this turned out to be much longer than intended.

@Rossy92 No god written about by humans is worth the paper it is printed on. Could there be some sort of creator of everything, maybe. Could the universe itself be a living thinking entity. How would we even know and would such an entity even consider such an insignificant portion of itself, the humans on this one rock. Not referring to god in the sense of what a typical god is that we consider. Not saying that there is something we would worship and pray to or that same something would want us to.

@Rossy92, the question comes up in large part because of the political power the evangelicals have & wield. In areas like pushing for ID in schools, & otherwise dumbing down or misrepresenting science in the classroom; on the question of abortion & women's health issues; on same-sex marriage & the rights of transgenders; on the issue of a tax-free status for religious organizations. The list goes on. So, as a purely philosophical/moral/ethical question, & for all the political/societal reasons listed (& more), "fighting" religion, even at just such a basic level as its legitimacy is imperative, imo!

@atheist So true!

@Rossy92 What you wrote reminds me of a quote by Epicurus:

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.
Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.
Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil?
Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?”

@ailurophile or, put another way...