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The New Atheism

Is Religion Bad For Society?

by Rev. Bob Eckhard

My hope in this article is to outline a rational case that there is great benefit for society generally when it facilitates the activity of religious groups committed to the worship of God. I therefore challenge the atheistic notion that if only God could be disproved once and for all, the world would be a far better place to live in. Although there are many religious groups who could be mentioned here, there is not enough space within the parameters of this piece to do justice to each one. For reasons which will become clear, my thinking will broadly focus around the three major monotheistic traditions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Religious Extremism and its Discontents

I find it necessary to begin by addressing one concern that I know many atheists have in regard to the way that believers have conducted themselves over the centuries – the issue of fundamentalist belief and extremism.

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