Comment 11 by Serdan : My goal is for children to be taught how to think. If we could actually manage to do that somewhat competently all superstition would suffer greatly. By the way, everyone should go read the "Ghost seance" thread. A wonderful demonstration is made of why the matter of theism is utterly irrelevant.

Agreed 100%. But sadly, it would seem that a penchant for superstition is a part of human nature. If it's not theism, it ends up being something else (like ghosts). And I'm not sure nurture alone could stop it. Which is why it would be better and more realistic (but only just) to learn to recognise and rise above superstition in matters that count.

Comment 7 by Serdan : If a large part of the global population is wildly irrational it will inevitably affect you.

Only if they're allowed to be wildly irrational where decisions that affect me are taken. Many of the theists I know admit to the irrationality of their beliefs and would never dream of saying that, because God has spoken to them or inspired them, then any action should be taken regarding any type of public policy.

My goal (just as unattainable as the total disappearance of theism, I might add) is for all theists to be like that.

Take religion out of schools, hospitals and courts of law. That would be my end goal.

I don't personally have a problem with whatever crazy beliefs people may hold in the privacy of their own brains (or privately owned buildings). People have a right to find comfort and spiritual satisfaction in whatever way they wish. But if those beliefs are carried forward and pedalled through political organisations which influence people's lives outside of their brains (or privately owned churches) then it becomes a problem.

It also becomes a problem when those privately owned buildings are exempt from tax and from all normal obligations any other privately owned building would have.

Atheism itself does not have an agenda and should not be politicised. The agenda is, and has always been, that of secularism. And, needless to say, despite the two things often going hand in hand, you don't have to be an atheist to be a secularist. My most intelligent theist friends are also secularists and agree on the importance of the separation of church and state. And Stalin was an atheist but not a secularist (in fact he promoted state atheism which is just as much of an abomination as any theocracy).

To reference an earlier discussion happening on this board... So funny.

Has anyone mentioned The Big Bang Theory yet? I think that's very funny and endearing. If we're going to be "liked" by the Hollywood audience we must stop taking ourselves too seriously and I thought that was definitely a step in that sort of direction.

To be completely fair, most characters in Hollywood films don't really have jobs that reflect reality - be it lawyers, journalists or (the Hollywood favourite) ad execs, there's always some sort of hippy, colourful office where all people seem to do is shag coworkers or carry Starbucks cups around. To be fair, depicting a job in a realistic way would, in most cases, just detract from the plot.

No wonder scientists in films don't look anything like the real thing either.