I still say that religion is just the mechanism. The puritan mentality didn't come from the dominant religion, it caused the dominant religion.
Look at Catholics and abortion/contraception (since it's in the news because people are abject morons) they don't give a shit because they want the benefits that derive from "betraying" their religion.
A lot of churches, especially those who dominate one region are SOCIAL CLUBS first and a rejection of them is less an affront to Jesus than it is an affront of the community. If the church was Jewish or Islamic or Darkoist (the one true religion) or the Spider-Gods anyone who comes in and rejects the church is going to be looked down on.
Hating religions is stupid, hating people for believing them is as well. A large swath of the public believes that we should be enslaved just because they want things they don't have. That's maybe a good reason to hate them, but I won't.
You don't counter their religion out of anger, but out of interest. You question it. You want to know if it is true.
If they turn you away because you don't accept on blind faith their claims, then what is their justification? Why not believe what anyone says? There is nothing wrong with faith, but if it doesn't take, then accepting what others demand surely is worse than not accepting. Are we not supposed to have free will?
If God wants us, why wouldn't he let us know? If He can make others see the light, why does He need messengers?
What does God need with a Starship?
We'll have to play NBA Showdown '94 for eternity. And i'll shoot 3s with dell curry every play.
No, fuck you, I'll make sweet love with Santorum before I play anything before Live 95 for eternity.