Religion
In reply to the discussion: Religious Belief = Mental Illness: A More Venomous Response [View all]Brettongarcia
(2,262 posts)I don't have the time here and now to write a full dissertation bibliography on this subject. But just this should be enough to at least begin to suggest that the negative thesis regarding religion, might well be regarded as a viable hypothesis. Some significant psychological research trends in that direction.
Therefore? We should not simply reject atheists who assert that religion is largely bad. Some significant research TENDS TO support them. Even my own very casual efforts here, seem enough to indicate that atheists might be right. Even our resident psychologist proper, allows that some negative evidence does indeed, exist.
My conclusion is therefore that we should give atheists - even at their most negative and insulting - more respect. We should allow them even some expressions of anger. And allow them some insults. Since there might indeed, be many really, really terrible things in Religion.
Even Psychology it seems, does not definitely reject a really awful view of Religion, even in general.