Reply #17: Some wisdom here

[YankeyMCC]

I happen to be reading Tao Te Ching (translation by james legge) out of intellectual curiosity.

And what you said "..no matter how vast your knowledge, you will never be able to perceive the world as another perceives it. Once you understand this principle, you stop saying things like "Christians believe a fairy tale" and "Atheists are religious fanatics." "

Puts the ideas I've been reading there into perspective I can appreciate.

As an atheist I know that I know the bible is a fictionalize account at most, perhaps total fiction and I know I see no evidence of the existence of a god as commonly defined by xians. As an atheist I know that my world view and moral code works well for me and it appears to me to be the best world view to pass on to my children and I'm hopeful for the community when others develop and live by similar world views and moral codes.

I do however think it is a "religious fight", not "religion vs no-religion" but good theology vs bad theology.

Now right now my fellow atheists are thinking some rather nasty things about me. Well some of them...Maybe. ;)

But the fact is many people are religious and I do know (at least I know that I know ;) )that people who are members of religions and theists in general develop world views that work for them and moral codes that are often similar to mine in goals and practical affects on the people and world around them.

The problem is when people like Falwell and Bush use religion to justify bad theology (creating an American religion, turning America into the idol for example). We fight that by uniting.

The religious angst us fight it with good theology. Concentrating on caring for the poor, peacemaking etc...

The non-religious angst us fight it with good ideas and setting examples, demonstrating what we are all about and the existence and credibility of the development of good values in the absence of religion.

That brings us together instead of divides us. That changes the debate from "religion vs nonreligion" or "atheist vs theist" to "good values" vs "bad values" and "good results" vs "bad results". It teaches that good values can come from anywhere.