49.Are you suggesting that we should eliminate all the religions? Don't you think that some religions have something good to offer? If so why is it that so many people are attracted to them?  

Despite the fact that I agree that religions are irrational. I believe not everyone can live without a religion. Most people who turn towards religions are people who need authority in their lives, who lack self discipline, who have had disturbing past and religion gives them what they lack: Discipline. Once they start believing in a religion they shape up, they regain their self-esteem and often are empowered to overcome their handicaps.

Of course all this metamorphosis takes place in them thanks to their own will power. There is no exterior being giving them any help as they assume. However the belief of such being is the most potent autosuggestion. God takes the place of an imaginary friend who is there all the time ready to assist you whenever you are fallen, beaten and demoralized. Mature individuals do not need such imaginary friend to get up and stand on their own feet, but not everyone is mature. The belief in such imaginary, loyal and all-powerful friend can do miracles for those who lack the inner strength to rely on their own resources. But those who are mature know that it is them that make the miracles come true.

Therefore in my opinion it is cruelty to take away the crutch from those who have not learned to stand on their own feet yet. It is not wise to attack all religions and deride all those who rely in these religions. Our job, as freethinkers, should be to gently suggest that religions are superfluous and one can really find his/her way through the guidelines of the Golden Rule. The power to get up from the gutter and feel whole again is within us. We need no reliance on any deity to overcome the difficulties that we face in our lives. But we should also remember that it is unreasonable to assume everyone does have the same maturity and self-reliance.

I do not see any good in criticizing and belittling religions. Humanity will one day be able to reject all religions and walk freely. But until then religions do play a crucial role in the lives of millions even though that role is imaginary.

We should not attack all religions and decry what people hold dear to their hearts. Religions may be useless, but they are not to those who believe in them. Religions play a crucial role in the psyche of billions of believers. Only we have to be watchful that these religions do not become destructive, like the religion of David Koresh, of Shoko Asahara, of Jim Jones, of Heaven’s Gate or of the mad man of Arabia.

The challenge of freethinkers is not to fight with every belief, but to focus on those that are destructive. All beliefs are based on fallacies but not all fallacies are harmful. If someone’s religion teaches him to do good, say good and think good, that religion is good even if it is false. If someone’s religion teaches him to love humanity, abolish prejudices, establish world unity and ensure the equality of sexes, there is no need to be aggressive towards the followers of that religion. But if a religion preaches hate, if it instructs its followers to kill those who do not believe in that religion and by letting it grow it endangers the peace of the world and the survival of human race that religion must be combated and eliminated. In conclusion, we should not be against any faith but we should be against hate.