Are you going to pray for forgiveness for calling so many people names. SINNER! LOL. Fact is, you have no idea what he is talking about in this thread. Having a discussion about the idea of ridding man of religion for the betterment of man is an intellectual discussion. Maybe you should pray about it, and God will tell you I am right.
Overall, I think this thread is targeting religion because religion and people's faith has often been the reason for so many wars, and bloodshed. Intellectuals (atheists as you call them) have taken note of this fact, and are now having a discussion about how nice the world would be without religion in it. Where is the problem? It is not like he said we are going to eradicate YOU for thinking that way, just get rid of religion as a common stumbling block for our society.
Tell me this.....which religion has it right? There are SOOOOOO many different religions, someone HAS to be wrong, don't they? So who has it right, and who decides this?
Sure, I can credit religion with getting you through rough times, but the same can be said for good friends and family. What you rely on religion for, I rely on my friends and family for. And with friends and family, I get to have an actual discussion with PEOPLE........not some discussion with a made up god in my mind who agrees with everything I think.
I am glad some people get strength from faith. But faith has caused so much bloodshed, it is impossible for any historian or intellectual to ignore.