Give Religion Some Credit !

Believers will often claim that even atheists should recognise the good things that religion offers. For example, it provides comfort in times of distress, it gives meaning to lives, it gives people hope, encourages people to do good work.

In a way these things are true but they are false comforts, false hopes, false meanings and wrong reasons to do good.

A doctor could comfort a terminally ill patient by telling him he's cured - that's false comfort. People want to know the truth.

I might believe I'm going to win the lottery next week and so decide to give all my current money to the poor and needy. But whilst some good has come of my belief, it adds no value or significance to it. It's still a stupid and highly improbable belief.

There's no merit in false beliefs.