Exactly, the experience of religion is felt internally and through community. As someone who went Christian -> atheist -> pagan, I can say I do understand both sides. Atheists are right to say that without evidence religion shouldn’t have any power over non-believers. Religious people are right to say that for some people religion serves a role that would be missed without it.
On issues of religion, even as someone who’s been pagan longer than she was an atheist I generally side with the atheists. I grew up watching Christians try to prove Christianity despite our denomination (catholicism) having the doctrine of non-overlapping magesteria, which basically says that anything science can prove belongs to science and where religion contradicts it must be taken as metaphor or flowery language. I’m far better served by freedom from religion than freedom to use religion as a cudgel, just as all minority religions are.
Exactly, the experience of religion is felt internally and through community. As someone who went Christian -> atheist -> pagan, I can say I do understand both sides. Atheists are right to say that without evidence religion shouldn’t have any power over non-believers. Religious people are right to say that for some people religion serves a role that would be missed without it.
On issues of religion, even as someone who’s been pagan longer than she was an atheist I generally side with the atheists. I grew up watching Christians try to prove Christianity despite our denomination (catholicism) having the doctrine of non-overlapping magesteria, which basically says that anything science can prove belongs to science and where religion contradicts it must be taken as metaphor or flowery language. I’m far better served by freedom from religion than freedom to use religion as a cudgel, just as all minority religions are.