Hello, everyone. I'll start by saying that this is my first post in these forums, and that I'm happy to have found a thread of like-minded people. Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised that those with unconventional appetites for the physical are also intellectually curious, untamed, creative and interesting. Still, critical thinkers are, in my experience, rare enough that to encounter any number of them in one place delivers unabashed joy to me. So, thank you to everyone.

My one disappointment is that almost everyone here is more-or-less in agreement (where are the evangelical wingnuts or new-age flakes when you need them? I refuse to believe that they don't also crave a good spanking every now and again). Moreover, where I am inclined to disagree - for instance, I think denuseri is wrong to characterize science as a "belief" system - Thorne has already voiced my opinions, and probably more eloquently than I could. But perhaps I can offer some unique insight.

I was raised Roman Catholic and went to a religious private high school. It was the kind of school that maintained strong ties to traditional values while offering an entirely secular education. I was not taught by nuns, evolution was sacrosanct in biology class and my religion class would be better characterized as a study in ethics and the history of world religions. That being said, we started the day with a prayer and attended mass every Tuesday. We did tons of charity work but our charities were not tied to any particular religion. All this to say, although I had by this time decided that I was an atheist I enjoyed my time there, and I credit the religious mission of the school indirectly. My family life was not great, and the religiously-grounded traditions gave the school a real sense of community and common purpose. It was an environment that made me feel welcome and safe (and I was the kind of student who argued for atheism in religion class and championed the Liberal cause at debating tournaments; I could not have been more of an outsider philosophically).

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while religion, and indeed all dogma which presumes to elevate itself above criticism, is contemptible if only for their arrogance in so elevating themselves above other ideas, political, social and spiritual alike, I understand the appeal. And although Enlightenment-inspired reverence of the individual is inherently attractive to someone as misanthropic as I am (sometimes), I do not think that we can ignore the fact that we are (and I think this is a scientifically sound statement) a small-group, socially inclined animal which has evolved to thrive in strong, small communities. I think it is for this reason that otherwise sane, intelligent, educated people flock to what Dawkins might call citadels of silliness on Sundays to partake in the ritual cannibalism and worship of a cracker. People give in because this is what ties them to their neighbour, this is what ties them to their parents, and this is what defines them culturally. It's a sense of belonging, more than anything else, that I think organized religion offers people that is so seductive.

It's for this reason that I occasionally find the militant-atheists like Dawkins, Hitchens, Dennett, Harris, Meyers and the rest a little shrill and counterproductive to their own cause. People aren't going to stop worshipping a cracker because you laugh at them can call them stupid for worshipping a cracker. They're going to stop when our culture generates new social structures which strengthen the community in much the same way that religions have for the past two centuries. I know in some cities there are "humanist community centers" where like-minded individuals and families gather every weekend to eat, laugh, exchange ideas and organize charitable events. This is the kind of thing I hope will catch on and grow.

But don't misunderstand. I am a fan of Dawkins and his ilk most of the time. Their flagrant irreverence for religious silliness is important, if only to illustrate the point that, in a democratic society, no idea is sacred.