Religion.

Imagine believing in something where there are no facts to back it up, not one, that's dogma and that is insanity, are humans basically insane creatures pretending to be sane ? 

Scary thing is that I always considered him to be a logical thinker

Just the extremists control the dialogue and project their intolerance and hate through politics.

Religion is nothing more than a coping mechanism for the weak minded who can't bare the thought that when we die that's it. Why do they care so much, they didn't know any better when they hadn't been born yet so what's the difference, you just go back to sleep. People are basically scared, frightened little creatures who look for anything they can to give themselves meaning and comfort, the first thing we all look for when are born is the teat, almost instantly our instincts are to seek comfort and food, safety and warmth. We are not born religious we are born scared and curious, for the scared there is religious dogma, it serves as the most shared and most popular form coping mechanism.

No you weren't born a catholic at all, you were born a human into a family that taught you to be a certain religion, you had no chance from day one. 

I'm not sure that was the intention originally back 2 or 3 thousand years ago. It would more likely have been a theological debate that flourished around everywhere in villages and towns, a way to try understand the world and stars, discuss it openly, bring forth theories and see which ones stick, a way of finding out to see if anyone knew what was going on..

 

 My closest neighbours: One, a Muslim family. They've had a few huge family parties over the years, but always apologise if they get noisy. All nice people, pleasant, respectful, and friendly toward my girls. We say a cheerful 'hello' whenever we meet. No probs. No religious preaching. Generally, pretty quiet family. The older girls and mum wear hijabs. It's no different to me wearing a scarf...if I wanted to.    

 Second neighbour: Fifty-something widowed mother, who brought up three girls, one of whom is my younger daughter's best friend. The mother is Catholic. Never stops preaching at me. Hates Muslims, Jews, anyone LGBQTI...even though her youngest daughter is lesbian. Not sure if mum knows. Mum is a fanatic Lib voter...she loved Abbott. I send her up, mercilessly, whenever she starts on one of her rants. She doesn't realise I'm doing it. She's not a total nutcase. Just brought up to believe all the crap in the bible...then never acts like a decent Christian. 

 I've lived next to Greek, Aboriginal, Estonian and Aussie neighbours...and the only ones who were annoying were the Catholic ones. 

 Seventh Day Adventists believe only the go to heaven.

 I've never had the heart to tell them heaven doesn't exist. 

  

You fail to see that you would be like that regardless of religion, religion cannot take credit for people being decent, that's just plain wrong. 

and then I watch this and am filled with warmth at the togetherness and strength people find in doing things together, for each other. But then I realise they don't don't need religion to be like this, we could all be like this, minus the religion and the world would be an absolutely glorious place to live in.