Why is it in this day and age, that when ever anyone turns or returns to religion, they almost always choose some form of archaic dim-wit-ism?

All the "God" and "Gods" of Man are, whether "Male" of "Female" in their descriptive gender, merely the personal and collective TRIBAL, and entirely dualistic myths created by the fear based human ego-mind.

A modified quote from an essay titled Religious Stupidity & Scientific Genius.

"....our concept of the future must be projected against the infinite scale of the total universe, rather that the provincial scale represented by gross self-interest, ancient tribal ad national divisions, or even the scale represented by the Earth or by Man himself.

....What is commonly recognized and sometimes defended as religion in our Age is only the most superficial and factional and most often dim-minded and perverse expression of ancient national and tribal cultism...

...In this Age of worldwide political and social interdependence, of super technology, and the atomic bomb, and of esoteric (quantum) sciences of the kind initiated by intellectual geniuses such as Einstein, the people altogether must not fail to be equipped with a true, practical, supremely intelligent, universal, and fully esoteric understanding and practice of Spiritual religion.

If they remain in the embrace o the archaic, myth-laden, exoteric, DIVISIVE religions of the past, they will only be subject to exploitation and negative dominance by the superior esotericism and popular persuasiveness of scientific materialism. To persist in the old cults, is, in effect, to be bereft of religion in the Age that is upon us."

Four references which offer a completely different Illuminated Understand of Truth & Reality, and a thorough-going critique of archaic religiosity.

http://www.dabase.org/dht7.htm

http://global.adidam.org/books/religion-reality-5.html

http://www.dabase.org/rgcbpobk.htm

http://www.beezone.com/up/dogmassoicalmorality1.html

Still comes back to the burden of proof lies with the inventor not the disbeliever. It is not a sin to seek evidence not matter what form it might take. I suspect Christopher Hitchins is not about 'persuading himself' as purported but seeking others to persuade with proof.

It is cringeworthy to read statements like "anti-Christian" media. Why on earth raising issues of child abuse in the Catholic Church or unsound business practices is "anti-Christian" is bemusing.

Seeking from people a respect for different faiths (often the values are identical) is not "anti-Christian". Reporting on some Churches using the umbrella of religion to avoid paying tax and to amass millions for their leaders is not "anti-Christian". It is about accountability and ethical behaviour which applies to all and why Christians should expect less scrutiny that the rest of us is a mystery.

I cannot think of any example of media reporting that is genuinely anti-Christian.

P. Hitchins may have gone back to his faith but that is his choice and he should not belittle his brother's choice to remain an atheist. It is arrogant and feels like insecurity to assume that his choice should be his brother's as well.

"At last, and inevitably, the ancient exoteric rulerships have failed, and "official" exoteric Christianity (along with all the other "great-world-religions", of merely exoteric religion-power) is now reduced to all the impenetrable illusions and decadent exercises that everywhere characterize previously privileged aristocracies in their decline from worldly power.

Now exoteric Christianity is reduced to a chaos of competing corporate cults and BARNUM-esque propagandists that "rule" nothing more than chaotic frightened herds of self-deluded religion consumers.

Therefore, the myth of the cultural superiority of "official" Christianity has now come full circle. The "religious" mythologies of world-religions are not only now waging GLOBAL WARS with one another (like so many psychotic inmates of asylums for the mad, each confronting the other with exclusive claims of personal absoluteness), but the public masses of religion-bound people - who, all over the world, for even thousands of years, have been controlled in body and mind by ancient institutions of "religiously" propagandized worldly-power - are now in a globalized state of grossly-bound "religious" delusion and social psychosis".

Speaking of Barnum & Bailey circus events, the recent "catholic" world-youth-day held in Sydney fitted entirely within the domain of hyped religious consumerism.

When 'accredited' religions like Christianity stop getting tax breaks at everyone else's expense, then we will know they are being 'forced underground'. It can't happen a moment too soon.

McReal

you write

;@ runner - good of you to acknowledge secularists have a conscience. Yep, need to do more to promote contraception to reduced that abortion rate, as it is clear abstinence doesn't work (even for those professing it)'

even with your condom dogma suicide rates among teens continue to increase and as well as increases in std's and abortions. You are obviously more interested in your dogmas than helping young people live a life with a few morals that generally leads to a lot more happiness than the fruits of secularism (permissiveness).

Stik ya religion up ya shute. How many deadlines for the end of the world have passed now. I have my own religion thanks and it don't include your ramblings.