So the thread in this forum kind of sidetracked a little (as of course they usually do).

But I wanted to mention a compelling book I read recently re: the supposed inherent irrationality of religion. It's entitled The Case for Christ (by Lee Strobel) and was written by a former atheist now turned Christian.

It still leaves the question up to the reader, but it shows that it is possible to be an intelligent, rational being and still believe in a deity (specifically, one described by the Christian Bible).

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0310209307/102-9273984-3004930?v=glance

That has absolutely nothing to do with Ahmed's article, and I'm sorry for that, but I get really mad when I hear people assert that religious people are automatically stupid, as people in this thread seem to have. The majority of Australians are religious, and unless some proof can be found in the negative, that a God/gods does/do not exist (can a negative be proven?), I don't think atheists/agnostics have the right to lord over others their assumed superiority of thought. They have as little proof for their opinions as they accuse their crazy Christian/Muslim/whoever counterparts of having.

Peace,
Young and loving it