Dear Meredith, there is so much missing information here. This friend of yours, did he have his own set of wheels with you riding pillion? Or did you have a motorbike also? What sort of bike? a Kawaka Ninja perhaps or a Triumph Triple Sports? maybe a Harley or a Buell? Perhaps a BMW Trail Crossover? These are all important questions in determining the personality with which we are dealing.

If you had your own wheels, did you get “under him” on a tight bend? Did you beat him off the line from a “drag start”? Did you sit in behind or pass him on the long straight?

Motor cyclists are a “breed” and much can be determined by the “wheels”. This situation is likely to have nothing to do with “belief” and might be more about “other” challenges.

Please supply photo of bike?

Peter Hume,
I agree with your post except in that you place "your" faith in the free market:
<Humans display a great ability to hold belief systems that a minute's reflection would show are probably bollocks [agreed], of which religions are IMO a good example. However such credulity is part of the rich tapestry of life and people should be free to believe something or not, if they want>
Your belief in the divine benevolence of the market is demonstrably bollocks, whereas at least those with metaphysical beliefs can't actually be proved wrong (TBC seems possessed of a belief in the Enlighenment). Not that I don't respect your right to your beliefs, they're part of the rich tapestry of life, I just don't see how the faith "laissez faire" has any right to intrude upon or obviate the convictions of other faith systems..

Reasonable article (my alias reveals my own unbeliefs). I read Dawkins' The God Delusion and was tearing my hair out at the aggressive tone, which at times approached outright intolerance. Such positions of course are a reaction to the intolerance and bigotry shown by much of the Christian Right, notably in the US. But I don't believe such people can be defeated by becoming like them.

I also agree with the comment that those believers who react emotionally to rationalist ideas may have a problem with their own self-image. I had a long-term work colleague who was a committed fundamentalist Christian, but with whom I never exchanged a cross word. We did, indeed, have a number of perfectly civilised discussions about religious matters, aimed more at understanding each others' positions than at "conversion". Clearly this person had no underlying issues with his faith and felt perfectly secure when discussing it with a committed unbeliever.

Those who have religious faith will only abandon it if they discover a reason inside their own intellectual/emotional space for doing so. There is no sense in trying to shove something down their throats. The best a rationalist can or ought do is to show believers that other world-views are possible and that a rational belief system can be no less satisfying than holding to views which can only be supported by an appeal to pure faith.

"I don't think they are spineless idiots, just "special" and deserving of our pity." - Shadow Minister

With all due respect, Shadow Minister (and other OLO commentators who drill the same vein), I don't believe those of faith deserve your pity. Intelligence, truth, and critical thought are not exclusive to any belief system (eg theism, atheism, animism, agnosticism etc etc).

Even though I'm a Christian, I possess a number of pieces of paper that speak to the secular world about intelligence. On tested Intelligence Quotient, in the top 5th percentile. On credibility to the 'common man', I work in the mining industry.

These things being said, I treat those with contrary views respectably. I believe in God, and believe that Christ is the Saviour of Humankind. The habit of atheists/agnostics to present theists as simpletons is deplorable.

I agree with the author that emotionality can cloud theological debate. However, this counts for proponents of all points-of-view, not just the theists.

Thanks Atlas.

I love how the faithful deny climate change when the rest of us don't even respect the notion of debating this fact.

Your view of "religion" is shallow. I think you mean sharing a commonality but the great thing is atheists don't follow archaic and bigoted texts or privileged leaders. We live life, experience our own thoughts and leave behind our own history. Believers are like bees in a hive - cloned to walk in step and die unaware of what just happened.

But you buggered up that childish "atheism = religion" riposte thusly:

"That goes for Atheists as well as religious people."

And for the record, it's beneath any thinking person to stoop to "am not... are too... no YOU are.... no YOU are... am not... are too...

Oh, sorry - Atman.

My bad.