Religion Does Not Deserve Respect

"I do not respect religion. It is a systematic refutation of reason, and fortification and arming of superstition. Beliefs based on faith are by definition not based on evidence or reason. They are absurd, and I cannot respect absurdity. Religion keeps people immature. The good things that have "come from religion" are actually good things that human beings are quite capable of doing for each other *without* any inspiration or prodding from magical spooks or their earthly emissaries. If they were not constantly told that they're no damn good, religious people would be able to mature beyond Kohlberg's lowest stage of moral development, the stage of doing good only to avoid a punishment and to gain a reward. So, even in the good things that religious people do, their religion soils and demeans the motives that they *could* be doing those good things for. Still, I can *treat people respectfully* regardless of what I think of their beliefs, and I try hard every day to do that."

~ Richard Wade