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Only one quibble - I have no hostility at all towards Christianity. I probably harbor some towards many Christians who use their religion in ways with which I disagree though.

Referring to Christianity as just another Bronze Age myth on a pro-Christian site is open hostility. Even if you don't think you harbor such feelings, it's quite clear you do.

Christians doing bad things that are not proscribed by the Bible (i.e. a Christian boning someone else's wife, or stealing money, etc.) is not, in the least, a reflection upon Christianity. If the Christian belief system says "Always do A" and the Christian does "B", it is the failing of that individual to live up to the belief system, not a flaw in the belief system, itself. At most, you could argue that the person's church is doing a poor job of getting the message to sink in, but it is still not the fault of Christianity. The Commandments of God and the teachings of Christ are ideals that Christians live up to, but even Christianity (and Judaism) understand that all men fall short. However, without the ideal to strive for, how would ever improve ourselves?

Because it's 2013. People keep dying over religious texts. Idiots see god's punishment in Moore, OK. Preachers continue to steal from rubes and get away with it. Education and scientific gains are stifled by religious belief. Thousands of children are raped by the catholic church and all is well.

Now you're jumbling a bunch of stuff together. Many people may be dying over religious texts, but it sure as hell isn't because of the Christians. There is nothing in the Bible that commands people to go out and kill non-believers, or any other innocent person. The Koran does, however, so if you're angry at Islam, that is understandable. However, watching Islam go around slaughtering the adherents of all the other religions and then blaming all religion for violence is highly illogical, bordering on the asinine. You gave a good reason to hate Islam, but not religion in general.

As for religion getting in the way of education and science, once again, that may be true if you are referring to Islam. But if you are including Christianity and Judaism, then you don't know history at all. Not only was Christianity the only thing that protected scientific knowledge during the Dark Ages, but they were among the greatest supporters of scientific research in Europe during the Middle Ages and beyond. And I don't think I need to mention the contributions Jews made (go look up Jewish Noble prize winners vs. Muslim Nobel prize winners). Until recently, most noted Western scientists were faithful Christians.

With regards to the child molestation in the Catholic Church - that, once again, has nothing to do with Christianity, or even the Catholic Church, in general, other than, perhaps, their bad judgment in allowing homosexuals into the priesthood. It wasn't the religion that made these men commit crimes against children, and it wasn't official Church position to let these things happen. There were plenty of weak and irresponsible Church functionaries who failed to handle the situation properly.

Regardless, not only is it irrational to blame the Christian religion for the aberrant behavior of some of its adherents, but is it ignorant to think that child molestation is caused by, or limited to, religious people. In other words, if that child had been left with some atheists at a day care center, or a public school, or a neighbors house, they run roughly the same risk of getting molested, perhaps even a higher risk because so many sexual deviants shun Christianity.

This will be my final response on this thread. Thanks to all for your lively conversation. Thank you for your reasoned response. First, you wrote, "You gave a good reason to hate Islam, but not religion in general. " I don't "hate" religion. I just find it absurd.

...is not, in the least, a reflection upon Christianity.

True enough. My parents are lovely, kind, giving Christians. I was raised with all the right values and am raising my sons with the same. There are well over a billion people who live "good Christian lives." But the One True Scotsman fallacy applies here, as every time someone "misinterprets" the bible, they are called "not really Christian." FTR, there are many atheists and non Christians who live perfectly good and charitable lives. Being a good person is not predicated on being Christian. (And of course there are many non-believers who are horrible people.

There is nothing in the Bible that commands people to go out and kill non-believers, or any other innocent person.

History disagrees with this. As you know, the OT surely disagrees with this, many times over. Now, most American Christians conveniently toss aside the multiple genocides of the OT for a variety of reasons - which is fine. Except they don't toss aside Genesis and they hold that the book is written by the hand of an infallible god. I can't reconcile that.

But let's pretend I can. And I stick to the NT and especially the Gospels. Matthew 5:17 tells me, quite clearly, that Jesus absolutely agrees with the OT text. ""Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill." Sure, that can be interpreted different ways, but the most logical way is, "All that terrible OT stuff? I love it."

Furthermore, many Christians seem to enjoy the thought of non-believers burning in hell for all eternity. That's just weird.

By the way, I'd like to thank the FOUR FReepers who private messaged me about all this, noting that they agree with me. There are many more. I must work today and I fully recognize nothing I say will sway anyone here - and that is not my intent. Have a good one.