Atheists & Agnostics

... my mother was über-religious, but not in the in-your-face way you see with today's zealots. I even taught Sunday school, and seriously explored other faiths. But when I asked questions, particularly about scientifically impossible claims, I was harshly reprimanded with, "Why do you think they call it faith?" and other blanket assertions that brooked no scrutiny. That's when I said, Okay, a hard NO to this BS.
That was sixty years ago.
The source is disputed, but some wise old sage (H.L. Mencken?) said that religion is the greatest fomenter of hatred and intolerance in the history of humanity. Or words to that effect. I couldn't agree more. I coined my own explanation some years ago: The sleaziest weasel in the cave said to the biggest bully in the cave, "Look, you be government, and I'll be religion, and we'll have 'em by the short curlies 'til the end of time!"