I'm so tired of religion being treated like a special set of beliefs

[redqueen]

like a category of ideas that are given protected status, this giving its adherents an expectation that the ideas should be respected and not criticized too forcefully.

Religion may not be the only example of this but it's the biggest I think.

More and more studies show an inverse relationship between religion and intelligence. Throughout history we have seen leaders use religion to manipulate the masses for no other reason their own gains again and again and again - yet still so many cling to these ideas.

It's encouraging that the number of nonreligious people is increasing, I just wish it would happen faster.