I don't think it takes much imagination to see how a public indoctrinated with the above are beneficial to those seeking power and influence through lies and deceit.
Critical thinkers are a con-man's kryptonite.
Otherwise you're demanding that we accept every ridiculous idea that comes up... literally demanding people take suggestions of "Jewish space lasers causing fires in BC" and "the earth isnt real its just a TV show stage for aliens and the catholic church are thier partners" as legitimate possibilities rather than the highlt improbable, if not impossible, insanity they are....
That's not a problem rationalism in the contemporary meaning really has, although I'm not sure this constitutes an improvement on net over its predecessor movement given how much the gloss of scientism tends to make its flights of fancy look more worth taking seriously than they deserve.
So any cry that we should be nicer to you and not roll our eyes when we get into this topic is literally what someone calls "being a snowflake."
I know it is hard to understand in this age of politically correct culture wars, but it is possible to have an harmonious society with disagreement of opinion. But if someone starts to cry "help, help, I'm being repressed!" because someone makes fun of your supernatural being, that goes out the window.
I said the same then, to much the same level of vitriol in response. At this point I really believe that it's more about behaving this way for the sake of it than about trying to accomplish any kind of real change.
I think the issue here is you might be a little sensitive to people not accepting your beliefs/life, which given your history you've shared here is more than understandable, and me going deep into my defence of free speech and atheism because is my core belief, but not my entire personality, so I don't actually give a crap, I usually engage people on something more interesting than this kind of argument.
I sympathise with your life struggles and recognise I might've touched a nerve. At the end of the day, I do really not care what anyone does with their body, their mind or their spirituality. Yet, I encourage you to accept that not every disagreement is vitriol or a personal attack.
Nothing is more dull than discussing religion, politics and sports affiliation, so I hope we can engage in better terms on more interesting topics on this site.
Now, one can believe whatever they want, this is a free world, but I don't want to hear anyone playing the victim either because someone doesn't give a rat's arse about UFOs, lizardmen or God.
Right to belief comes to right to being criticised, and well, being laughed at. If that's too much to handle, just keep it to yourself.
2. I am not trying to change any bloody thing. I just don't believe in God. No need to turn this into a political debate. I'd rather discuss religion in that case.
3. I believe in free speech. No one is taking your rights away here, you're free to do whatever you want as am I.
If the fact that I have another opinion than you, then my friend, what you're looking for is an echo chamber, not a discussion with strangers.
Can you quote his defense of a style of behavior? I scrolled up and I'm not seeing it. FWIW, I am not religious but I personally oppose anti-theism and the antagonistic sort of atheist advocacy.
In any case, I offered an olive branch in the parallel subthread. We got better things to do with our time I reckon.
It doesn't need an olive branch because, as eventually became clear, whatever argument was being pursued here wasn't with anything I'd said, or indeed anything to do with me - judging by your other comment you seem still to think I'm religious! Even were I otherwise inclined to, it'd be impossible to take offense on the back of such a total misapprehension.
But you're right that we all have better ways to spend our time.
The fable-believing egoist who wants their favorite story to "win" so that they can claim a place in some imaginary clever vanguard of those who "changed the public conversation" in America, in full projection mode here.