Sam Harris, who recently attended the Beyond Belief conference, describes some of the arguments heard at the conference in defense of religious faith or against activist atheism. Sam also offers a challenge for readers to write responses to these arguments, with the best reponses receiving signed copies of Sam’s books and a cash prize of $100.
From Free Inquiry Magazine article:
While I heard many silly retorts to atheism at this conference, here is a list of those most in need of deflation by freethinkers:
1. Even though I’m an atheist, my friends are atheists, and we all get along fine without pretending to know that one of our books was written by the Creator of the universe, other people really do need religion. It is, therefore, wrong to criticize their faith.
2. People are not really motivated by religion. Religion is used as a rationale for other aims—political, economic, and social. Consequently, the specific content of religious doctrines is beside the point.
3. It is useless to argue against the veracity of religious doctrines, be¬cause religious people are not actually making claims about reality. Their claims are metaphorical or otherwise without real content. Hence, there is no conflict between religion and science.
4. Religion will always be with us. The idea that we might rid ourselves of it to any significant degree is quixotic, bordering on delusional. Dawkins and other strident opponents of religious faith are just wasting their time.I invite readers of FREE INQUIRY to provide short answers to any or all of these fantasies. The winning responses will be published in a future issue of the magazine. Winners in each category will be sent signed copies of both of my books and a cash prize of $100. Each response must be two hundred words or less (longer responses will be disqualified). Correspondence should be sent to: Free Inquiry Contest, P.O. Box 664, Am¬herst, NY 14226-0664.
Sam Harris is the author of The New York Times bestsellers, The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation.