Whether or not religion is a positive or negative force is irrelevant. When I say it's a relic I mean from a purely epistemological standpoint. The fact that after all we know people still believe "magic man done it" is pathetic. I will concede that I don't know how everything started. That does not mean that the God hypothesis has any real merit behind it. That does not mean we shouldn't excoriate such puerile beliefs. If you want to believe something it should be justified with evidence. Otherwise, society should ostracize you if you're over...five.

Of course, you know how I feel about this. I post these little articles because I find them amusing, and exhilirating, at times. But you don't need me to go over this with you again, I doubt, nor do you probably want me to. I am, however, interested in why you would continue believing. You're a fairly smart guy. What makes what I see as a delusion so persistent for you?