The atheists I've encountered over the years tend to be far more annoyingly vocal about their beliefs than any religious person I've ever met.
In my experience, of course.
It's funny how this debate re-emerges about once every 18 months on here - probably more regularly than any other non-footy, one-off discussions. It doesn't seem to be related specifically to particular outrages carried out supposedly in the name of religion, and it tends to be the 'non-religious' members who start it off.
Most people participating will know that I have something of a background within a faith community. Increasingly, I am isolated from that community, not because I don't think faith has relevance, but because my own experience tells me that 'the church' is not fit for purpose - at least not that bit with which I have traditionally been associated. That may change, and I agree that the present Pope is doing much more than a PR exercise (much as that was needed!).
The debate about God or 'not-God' will continue for ever. The interesting thing is that in the end, it all comes down to Belief, whether atheist, agnostic or 'believer'. There is nothing so far coming from the scientific context which goes anywhere near proving or disproving anything (or even producing 'evidence'). There are probably as many serious professional scientists who hold religious faith as there are atheists. And the Dawkins of this world do more damage than good to the atheist case by focussing on the extremes of religious belief rather than engaging with the centreground (where doubt and mystery are perfectly acceptable in both religion and in science).
And whoever said at the beginning of this current discussion that the current problems (and the history) is about the human lust for power rather than any particular sets of beliefs is (in my experience!) on the right road.
