This is an excellent overview of the logical fallacies with which fundamentalism is rife. Thanks for pointing it out.

"Imagine how many people plopped down into a pew this past Sunday, going through the motions again so as not to offend the people they love when in reality they became convinced a long time ago that this stuff made no sense. Those people have virtually no way to connect with anyone else who could relate to their frustration because their surrounding subculture shames anyone who openly discusses doubt and disbelief.

I can relate to this so intimately. It was and is my reality when it comes to those I've known for decades up until about five years ago.

I agree with Carter in some ways, however, I think there is a type of religion that requires no faith or belief. IMO true religion is not based on belief, but on deep awareness and appreciation for the staggering implications of the mystery of existence.

I know what he means by faith, but in general the word is worn out. Everyone exercises faith all the time. In order to click on your link I needed faith—faith that the link would work, faith that I would read something of interest, faith that Carter is a real person, etc. Perhaps a better word in general would be willingness, as in a willingness to proceed as though something is true until proven otherwise.

The kind of faith we detest is the kind demanded by church leaders under threat of eternal damnation. Whoever came up with such a stupid idea should have been whipped. Yet there are a lot of examples where children were subjected to such indoctrination and subsequently went on to become critical thinkers.

So no, faith doesn’t always break your thinker.