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This is a page that I would like to use to point out a couple of things.
Firstly, people will always find something to fight about, even if there were no religions. This seems obvious to me, because there is always something that somebody else wants. This fact might be disguised by religion, so much so that it seems that the religion is the factor that is causing the conflict. I suppose that it's even possible that if the conflict goes on long enough, the original reason can be forgotten and then it becomes solely about religion.
Anyway, I should think that the world would be better off without religion in this respect, because it might force people to become more honest about what they're actually fighting about. And maybe actually stop some conflicts.
Secondly, I would like to say that a lot of atheists would not label themselves as such, because the label has absolutely no meaning to them.
They have no reason to think about religion, so why should they call themselves something that only exists due to religion?
I am not a biscuit, but I don't go around saying I am an 'unbiscuit'.
I think that this is an important thing for theists to realise.
This kind of atheism is not a belief system. It is literally the absence of religion.
Thirdly, to all you people that are debating with the theists, I'm not sure that there's very much point. I once found an essay by somebody called Paul Graham containing a paragraph that explains it much better than I could, and I quote that paragraph here:
Suppose in the future there is a movement to ban the color yellow. Proposals to paint anything yellow are denounced as "yellowist", as is anyone suspected of liking the color. People who like orange are tolerated but viewed with suspicion. Suppose you realize there is nothing wrong with yellow. If you go around saying this, you'll be denounced as a yellowist too, and you'll find yourself having a lot of arguments with anti-yellowists. If your aim in life is to rehabilitate the color yellow, that may be what you want. But if you're mostly interested in other questions, being labelled as a yellowist will just be a distraction. Argue with idiots, and you become an idiot.
Wouldn't it be good if we could let all the religious people go and do their own thing and not bother everybody else? Unfortunately, we can't, because religion doesn't like to keep itself to itself. I think that the best we can do is to humour them and make sure that they don't get too much power. Rather like the Monster Raving Loony Party.
Update: Thu Feb 2 2006
At the end of last year, a Danish newspaper published a series of cartoons that depict the Islamic 'prophet', Muhammed.The ambassadors of ten Muslim countries complained to the Danish prime minister about them (pictures of Muhammed are apparently forbidden in Islam).
The cartoons have now been published in newspapers in several countries across Europe, showing support for free speech.
Here is a link to a recent BBC news report on the subject.
I was quite astonished by the complete stupidness of this situation. In fact, I am almost lost for words.
These cretins think that their delusions should command respect from everybody else. What makes their particular brand of insanity special?
Here are some pictures copied from the BBC news site, with their captions;
 | Protesters have taken to the streets in many Arab countries to vent their fury at the publication by a Danish newspaper of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. |
| Danish embassies have been besieged - as happened here in Kuwait. |
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 | Palestinian gunmen raided the EU's office in Gaza to demand an apology. |
| In the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, Shia clerics burned the Danish flag. |
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 | These Yemeni women held placards urging a boycott of Danish goods amid a growing backlash against the country. |
| Some Danish companies have been hard-hit by the boycott. Here an Egyptian employee removes Danish products from supermarket shelves. |
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 | Ministers from 17 Arab countries urged Denmark to punish the newspaper. Arab League head Amr Moussa, who attended the Arab ministers' meeting, criticised the European press. |
And here are the cartoons that have caused all this. I mean, what the fuck is the big deal?
The speech bubble on the French paper translates as, "don't worry Muhammad, we've all been caricatured here".
Declan May lives in France and also feels the same way.
If anybody else has a page in the same vein, just contact me and I'll put a link up!
Update: Wed Feb 14 2006
Hooray! I've managed to attract a death threat!From: Jihad@killgraham.com You anger me by posting these blasphemous pictures, I declare a jihad on your ass. I have never used Linux so I obviously cannot comment on it. You have obviously never read the Koran but still consider yourself to be qualified to criticise it. o yeah have you got any free weights or a VCR you fancy flogging to me? If you have can you let my jihad friend Wallace know. Cheers Mohamed Atta