Ignorance
The problem is NOT with religion, its with ignorance. Those of you that think that ignorance goes with religion are, simple put, wrong. Any time anyone believes anything without question there is a problem. There is ignorance. Over the years people have started to link this 'unquestioning' faith with religion, and its true that religion does lend itself to that kind of thinking, but not always, and not exclusively.
There are lots of misconceptions that start getting thrown around. This idea that "all" religious people think like "X" or believe "Y" is one of them. As soon as you start lumping things together you, yourself, become ignorant and blind. Some religious people have thought VERY hard about their faith, and have asked lots of questions, and only after a long rational decision have decided to be what they are. It's INCREDIBLY unfair of anyone to think or feel that all religious people shun science or logic or something.
The problem, too, comes with atheists that 'believe only in science.' You start getting some of those people that are JUST as self righteous as the people they are 'fighting against.' Some are JUST as unwilling to question their own beliefs and to try to understand the beliefs of others. They feel like they have it 'all figured out' and that ANYONE that disagrees with them must be wrong.
One of the key problems is this idea that 'religion' and 'science' are opposites or something. As if 'faith' and 'logic' could not exist together in the same mind or something. This is simply wrong. MANY of the BEST scientist we have EVER had were VERY religious. Sir Isaac Newton comes to mind. Also raise you hand if you knew that the Catholic church accepts evolution now? And the idea that there might be life on other planets? You should realize these things before you go pointing fingers.
The problem with ignorant people is that they are ignorant, that's it. I do not care if you feel like religious people are MORE ignorant or something. Not ALL are, and your just making yourself look stupid if you start assuming that someone is dumb just because they believe in Jesus or something.
As soon as you stop asking questions, or start thinking you know someone else, you're WRONG. And I don't care WHO you are, theist; atheist; agnostic; me; or you, YOU'RE WRONG.
1) MY problem is with religion AND ignorance.
2) Ignorance is inherent if one is going to have faith in their religion.
3) "The problem too comes with atheist and people that 'believe only in science." Very few athiests follow such a strong belief and are actually agnostics. And yes, you can be both.
4) "One of the key problems is this idea that that 'religion' and 'science' are opposites or something." Well... they kind of are opposites. Science is malleable while true religion is not. I think the problem here is that you believe deism counts as a religion, whereas it is exactly the opposite. You need to understand that truly following a religion does require faith and that many people are hypocrites about their religion. This is something I personally cannot stand because how can you say you are only going to believe certain things written in a book that cannot be supported by logic or evidence and still expect that particular religion to hold its own end of the bargain. As much as I hate ignorant, self-righteous homophobes I have to admit I respect the Westboro Baptist Church a hell of a lot more then I'd ever respect anyone who tries to be a hypocrite about their own religion.
5) "The problem with ignorant people is that they are ignorant" You don't happen to be related to Sarah Palin do you?
P.S. I was wondering if you were open to helping me write this fiction I've been working on lately. You seem like the right guy for the job. You don't happen to be one of the authors of the Bible, now do you?
Did you just contradict yourself, "I don't care WHO you are, theist; atheist; agnostic; me; or you, YOU'RE WRONG"?
And, there still people who believe that faith and logic are mutually exclusive and incompatible?
... well, okay...