1: I think all religions should be abolished.
2: Why?
1: Because religions are bigoted and so many crimes against humanity are done in religion's/God's name.
2: But religions generally preach love. People just pervert the teachings, usually out of ignorance, to fit their personal prejudices.
1: But if they had no religion, there would be nothing to pervert.
2: Well, if they're naturally cruel, I'm sure they could've found another reason. People could just as well persecute others for not believing in evolution.
1: But there is no proof for religion. They're doing evil for some imaginary god they blindly believe in without actually thinking about it.
2: What makes you think that all theists haven't thought about their beliefs?
1: Because they still believe in the absurdity!
2: Can you prove that you are in possession of the absolute truth then? Just because it doesn't make sense to you does not mean it is not true, and just because you cannot fathom the possibility does not mean that it does not exist. This may come as a surprise to you but some people come to the conclusion of the existence of God through rational means. Tell me, have you ever been in love?
1: What does that have to do with it?
2: Do you believe in love?
1: Yes.
2: Do you believe love, in its purest, is inherently good? And that it's not the fault of love per se when people do stupid things in its name?
1: Yes, of course.
2: Love is not tangible, cannot be tested empirically, and yet people do many things for the sake of love - things that are both good and bad. Many kill for love, but many also die for love. Just like religion. And so, if we follow your logic, then because many do evil for love's sake, albeit this is a minority vis-a-vis those who do good for love's sake, then we should believe that love is evil and strive to abolish love.
1: No, that's different...
2: How so?
1: ...
2: Regardless of whether you're an atheist or not, it's naive to deny the fact that religion serves a lot of purposes. There are, of course, the cultural reasons - such as the many scientific and philosophical discoveries attributed to the religious - as well as the social reasons - it forms the foundation of many relationships after all. Furthermore, as an existentialist, you believe that life and its meaning are what we make of it, right? So I don't see why you think you must deny others their choice to subscribe to a religion and their choice to make a deity the center of their lives. Please, enlighten me if you have any better arguments for the abolishing of religion because from the looks of it, your reasons - intolerance, restriction of people's choice, superiority complex with regard to the truth - can be thrown right back at you.
