Atheist Realities. Religious Necessities.

Atheism has a problem. It exists as a reaction against religion, and is in an unstable position because of it. In its worst incarnations it can look like a religion in itself - if you look at some of the extreme atheist forums you can understand why. Things aren't helped by the fact that scientific theory forces us to admit we can never prove if there's a god or not. We're all forced to believe something even if it's in nothing.

I am an atheist, but these days I prefer a gentler form of the game. I've never believed, no indoctrination was attempted as a child - I'm not even christened. So in my later years I find myself living without a religion as purely natural; you should be good to people as an acknowledgement of the society you enjoy and live your life for the benefit of that society.

But what of fighting the good fight? Shouldn't I be trying to create other atheists, protesting about the latest knuckle-dragging cluster fuck of a Papal decree, and generally attempting to destroy religion?

I don't think so. Other than setting an example by leading a decent life without god, I don't think any longer it's my place to do these things. Partly it's because those acts smack of religious activity, and partly it's because of a new realisation that struck me a few years ago and has been growing in my thoughts recently.

People are fucking thick. Even in a relatively rich society like the UK the average person leaves school with a poxy 2 GCSE grade C's. That means that the great masses of this, and presumably every other country, are deeply stupid people. People who without religion to rule their lives instantly seem to devolve into braintards believing in magic crystals, wicca, the cult of scientology or whatever other fucking rubbish someone is flogging to fill the religious void.

So could religion be necessary for a healthy society that consists mainly of sub-moronic halfwits? Could a lack of it be why UK society suffers from various form of anti-social problems? Could it be a creation of social evolution (in Dawkinian terms) that favours the continued existence of that society? I'd say it's worth considering.