[vhawk01]

I just thought of a good analogy that deals with the point in the OP.

I enjoy sports a lot, especially the popular American ones. But I realized when I was about 14 that the ridiculous fanaticism that surrounds, say, NFL football is completely irrational and aburd. These people legitimately believe that their team is the only really great team, the only team worthy of worship (fans) and, regardless of the objective evidence to the contrary (or at least, lack of positive evidence) they persist with this belief for their entire lives. They celebrate the successes and glaze over the failures, except as a chance to lament fortune or demonize the dreaded "rivals." It really, truly has much of the makings of religious belief. They even tend to root for teams solely on the basis of having been born there, and their parents having rooted for same.

But there is a difference. WHO CARES that they do this? Its embarassing, I suppose, but its basically harmless. I might give my dad a hard time when his team loses a big game, but I don't go out of my way to disabuse him of his silly 'faith.' Because it doesn't hurt anyone.

It is ONLY when this type of thing gets out of hand and starts causing suffering that it deserves criticism. People who won't allow children to marry fans of other teams would be an example. Fights breaking out due to fan loyalty would be another. These things probably don't happen often, and definitely far less often than religiously based incidents, but they do happen. And THAT is when people like me (and presumably the rest of the "antitheists" as you call them) feel it IS appropriate to disabuse these people of their silly fanhood.

Btw, this analogy became very legitimate to me today as I was watching a special about the moving of the Baltimore Colts in 1984. It was amazing to me. People were sobbing in their cars, staying home from work, really breaking down, because their team left in the middle of the night. Those who say that people NEED religion and their lives would be so much worse if we convinced them that it was all fake probably have a point. But people NEED football teams then, as well. These people are truly distraught about it. It really is the worst day in their entire lives. Some people can find anything to pour their entire lives into. It doesn't lend much to the credibility of football fanaticism, though.