Here we have an anti-religionist, a member of the Secular Party, using the Afghan tragedy and one religion stuck in the 7th Century, to rant against all religions.

In 2017, only 9% of people in the world claimed to be atheist; 25% said they were not religious but 62% said that they were religious.

I don't think the author will get much of an audience outside his little secular club.

NO! It is not religious belief that's to blame! But its extreme versions and the fruit loops who practice and inculcate others with their demonstrably false belief!

And as long as we accept the right of a few nut jobs, to practice their extremism that includes the wilful murder of innocents and the subjugation and sexual slavery of one gender!

It will continue and grow even worse per, brainwashed from birth, generation!

Perhaps a nuke or two will allow them to question their own, primitive, stone-age BS!? BS that makes a bone pointing witch doctor, look positively benign!
Alan B.

Poor deluded fool!

When the author is able to offer a comparable system to religion to the seething masses of humans on the globe, to conquer the pervasive sense of death as their largest challenge in life, then his argument will stand a chance.

But right now, there is no form of living comparable to religion that has that power over the individual.

Dan

I'm not sure how much support the Taliban actually
has in Afghanistan or how closely the religious
doctrine is followed there - or whether people
simply fear the Taliban and practice their religion
differently in private. Women certainly tried to make
the most of things while the Taliban were not in power -
and insisted on jobs and an education.
Look at how many Afghans tried
scrambling onto planes to get out of the country.
Look at how many refugees there now are globally
from Afghanistan.

It's a sad situation all round. One of the Taliban members
when questioned about people's rights under them - replied
that the rights will be according to Sharia Law - who's
to say how that law is to be interpreted.

It doesn't look like a happy ending is in sight.

If the dark age religion practitioners like the Taliban think that holding our people hostage while they demand subservience or unfettered ability to sell their drugs of addiction/killer evil to the world?

Then our reply must include the nuking of Taliban strongholds in either Afghanistan or Pakistan or both! It changed the course of history before with another, equally/more fanatical medieval belief system!

And will again if w have a leader with balls and implacable resolve like e.g, President Kennedy! One of a few leaders who also served in the military! And in his case, as a hero!

Let the cage rattlers rant and roar but leave that threat to nuke on the table for as long as they make unacceptable demands or kill our people!

And if our people don't turn up at appointed transit out points, let's assume they have been assassinated and the threats we made should this occur, be made real!
Alan B.

Yes it is quite obviously the case that much/most of the world's present time troubles are very much being caused by back-to-the-past religious "traditionalists". Which of course are merely the historically dominant Middle Eastern religious cults that won the religious culture wars in their time and place. These cults are now at war with one another for global dominance.

This is very much the case with the world-dominant cults of Christian-ism, Juda-ism and Islam-ism which are first and foremost political outfits.
This has always been the case with Christian-ism and Islam-ism which were and still are State religions. The "catholic" church is an independent political state which quite openly interferes with the politics and culture in most parts of the world, even with the backing of international laws and treaties - see http://www.concordatwatch.eu

In recent times via the Zionists this now also the case with Juda-ism as it is being dramatized in Israel/Palestine. And in the so called "holy land" altogether which is effectively a large scale lunatic asylum.