[quote=LoneSilverWolf]
Being religious myself, I can say that there's a LOT of people who give Christians a bad name. The bible says just the OPPOSITE of what you claim your problems with religion are, Magic Magnum. Jesus teaches us to love one another. The people he helped and spent his time with were murderers, thieves, prostitutes...because they needed direction and guidance the most. Jesus didn't shun the non-religious or look down upon them. I think the biggest problem with Christianity today are the people who sit there, with their noses in the air, acting like anyone non-religious is a piece of crap--OR come up with the stupidest shit, like "if you smoke you'll go to hell" (baptists and Catholics are big on this one, among other things). 

But not EVERY person who loves and believes in God is like that. MANY of us respect people's right to live any way they choose, and follow our own faith without trying to shove it down everyone's throats. It's just that those who do, they are louder and get more media attention. 

As for most non-religious people often not shunning people who ARE religious...to put it bluntly, that's bs. I can name a BUNCH of examples where this is simply not true--from taking "under god" out of the US pledge of allegiance, to telling people they aren't allowed to pray quietly in public--which to me, violates not only freedom of religion but freedom of speech. It seems to me, there is this HUUUGE anti-religion movement happening in the United States, where our rights to religious freedom are slowly being chipped away at. And a lot of atheists are incredibly rude and demeaning to those who are religious. I can speak from personal experience here. 

I seldom even get involved in these kinds of discussions because often, the second I mention that I believe in God, it's like I open the floodgates to total flamage. But I can't be silent on this post, because as much as I've come to like you Magic Magnum, I have to disagree with you on this one. I may not be the perfect Christian, I may have ideas that would have me labeled a heretic in the Renaissance days , but in the end I believe in everyone's right to follow whatever God they choose and not be lashed out and bullied because of it. Likewise, I believe that no religion should bully non-believers either. I think there's room for improvement on both sides, but don't deny the fact that a LOT of non-religious people are quite cruel/judgmental/hateful to anyone who says "I believe in God."
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Well, I guess alot of Christians do [url=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2021&version=NIV]cherry[/url] [url=http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2022&version=NIV]pick[/url] from their bible, seeing as how you claim that "the bible never says any of that". The fact of the matter is, is that your holy book is full of horrible shit, and that people like you follow it and defend it without giving it a second though, without using ANY logic. And you say that atheists, agnostics, etc. are your oppressors?

Don't bullshit me. There is no boogeyman trying to take away your right to pray in public places. The only reason I want "Under god" out of the pledge is because it violates our right to freedom of religion. The only reason I want Christianity to be separate from our educational or government systems is simply because of the fact that religions inhibit social and scientific progress. Why is there even a debate about gay marriage? Because of Christians. Why is there even a debate about abortions? Because of Christians. You see what I'm getting at. 

For you to assume that we have to honor and be nice to you just because you're a Christian, you've got another thing coming, especially because it doesn't work the other way around.

[b]EDIT: If OP wants me to make a separate thread to discuss this topic, I will gladly comply.[/b]