Praying for rain: Atheist critics show how petty and small-minded they’ve become

[MineralMan]

61. Obsessed? I don't think many atheists are obsessed.

On the other hand, atheists are surrounded by people who have religious beliefs, and are presented with those beliefs frequently. From time to time, atheists are even threatened by people who hold those beliefs. So, it's only natural that we would have an interest in such things, I think, if only for self-protection.

Many atheists were once religious believers themselves. They no longer are, but that doesn't mean the subject doesn't interest them. Since religious belief affects our lives often, it's important to understand, I think.

As for the Secretary of Agriculture and his reference to praying for rain, I doubt that many atheists care one way or another about that. Some may, but people are praying for one thing or another around us all the time. We're pretty used to it. Not that it will do any good. The rain will come when it comes, as it always has. Drought and flood have always been with us. Prayer won't change that. Indeed, if you think about it, the biggest flood in human history was purportedly caused by the very deity a lot of people are praying to. That's their belief, anyhow.

We live in a country populated by people who believe all the religions of the world, and by people who believe none of them. Under the law, we are all precisely equal in our rights here. Of course atheists are interested in religion. There's no escaping its influence.