Sam Harris

Bice may have forgotten that whole bit in the Bible we now call "the great commission(tm)," but he still makes a lot of good points, IMO.

Society would benefit from people keeping beliefs to themselves

I'd qualify that thesis statement to say "Society would benefit if believers would refrain from imposing their beliefs upon others" (i.e. I have no real problem with evangelism, only the imposition of religion upon others through law or via "tyranny" of the majority), but other than that . . .

Byron

I would add that they should not be allowed to use taxpayer money or public assets in their evangelistic activities.

[quote author=“Conservative Atheist”]I would add that they should not be allowed to use taxpayer money or public assets in their evangelistic activities.

That’s an imposition, no?

Byron

What about the tax deductions for donations to churches?  I’m of the opinion that this is simply a back door imposition, since my tax dollar does not go as far as a result.

I find this especially egregious with respect to religious organizations that are expecially aggressive at enforcing tithing.

-Matt

[quote author=“psiconoclast”]What about the tax deductions for donations to churches?  I’m of the opinion that this is simply a back door imposition, since my tax dollar does not go as far as a result.

I find this especially egregious with respect to religious organizations that are expecially aggressive at enforcing tithing.

Even more so those that aren’t much or at all into “works” and are basically isolationists, so that the slack in taxes they leave for the rest of us to take up is spent entirely on evangelism and construction and such. They should have to meet the same standards as any/all other non profit organizations (without the definitional church = non-profit status, of course).

Byron