This is a faulty question...the same as "Do you still beat your wife?"

I'm concerned (but far from obsessed) about religion because it poses a danger to the survival of humanity. Religious wars (that unbelievably are still ongoing in the 21st Century) could very well bring us to the brink of self-destructon.

From my point of view, I'm not obsessed with religion, I'm concerned about the religious. Particularly the so-called Religious Right that seems hell bent on turning America into a Fundamentalist Christian Theocracy with themselves in charge. NO ONE is going to tell me how to live, that's not the purpose of laws in our nation. They are there to protect the rights of one person from being violated by another. When I'm not doing that, there should be no government fiat that decrees my actions. THAT is why I'm always attentive to what the religious are doing, not to religion itself.

...because religion, especially Christianty, is obsessed with our government.

One of the benefits of a more secular country is, that until I joined this site I rarely thought about it. I can understand that you poor guys in the USA have to put up with all the BS and so it is a big part of your lives. In fact, I have had to think about my non-belief so much more in the past 2 years after joining here than in the past 40.

I am not obsessed with religion. I am concerned with the effect can have and does have on society. I do care about the world i live in and the role religion plays in society is a large one. I dislike its undue influence it as on the world around us and comments like well its there religion so you shouldnt criticize them i find annoying. Having just watched the documantry on the bbc about bishop peter bell I think we should all be concerned. A cover up by the church that used its power and influence to cover up abuse and stop a police investigation. If you havnt watched it you may find it interesting.

I have a deep interest in religion because I feel there are exciting and pertinent values at religion’s core. Like you, I turned away from traditional Christianity long ago, but I still maintain deep reverence for what I call the religious impulse, characterized by awareness and appreciation for the staggering implications of the mysteries of existence.

There’s more to religion than just some contrived god figure. With respect to contrived god figures and empty, church dogmatism I am an atheist, but I do not trumpet atheism. Arguing over the existence of God is an inanely futile exercise because it is readily apparent that the meaning of “existence” is not understood. Existence, along with space, time, conscious awareness, location, motion, etc. are concepts that we generally take for granted. We are immersed in our sense domain like fish are immersed in water, and it is hard to conceive of the ultimate reality beyond.

The only response to reality that seems rational to me is shock and awe, along with bewilderment. Belief or disbelief seem utterly inappropriate.

Actually, my experience is that I ignore religion and only think about here on this forum lol. Isn't that ironic?

Why are cops so obsessed with crime?
If you are aware of The Wedge Strategy and the trial around that, you will probably agree 'crime' is not an exaggeration.

I'm not obsessed with religion. I merely respond to lies and narcissistic reality denial whenever it becomes a topic of discussion or conflict. If that happens on a regular basis, that is a consequence of religion overreaching into everything and I am not obligate to shut my mouth when it does.

Reality denial may seem harmless when nice people pray in church, retreating into narcissistic fantasies about being not only the chosen people, but the very reason existence itself exists.
But it's dangerous to teach people to rewrite reality to suit themselves. I believe this is the core of beliefs like racism or sexism. There is no evidence either of those are true, but they give comfort to weak and cruel people who feel small and respond by doing what the have been taught to do when reality gets harsh. Lie to themselves and then impose those lies on others.
This behavior is very active in politics. Right now it allows people to delude themselves that a "race-baiting bigot" to quote a republican senator; is a genius and chosen by god to grab women by the p-- (cough). "Make America great again."

Perhaps a mental health professional could tell you the difference between this and utter insanity, but I can't.

Atheists aren't, Agnostics are. Waaaaayyyyy too much IMO.

If matters stopped at mere belief which could be separated from the functions of the state without being imposed on others, I wouldn't be bothered much by the existence of the religious. But if simply being a religious institution or a part of it entitles them to privilege, that I cannot accept.

It could be that location plays a large role in how much a person thinks about religion. I live in one of the reddest and most religious areas in Arizona and nearly everyone I know is very religious. It pretty much is all encompassing. I like it here because I can go out the door and be in the mountains, which I love, in five minutes. I don't love the political or religious in your face atmosphere. Like you I was religious for a good part of my life and lost a lot to it including a son and a previous wife. Even though I try to divorce myself from it, it pops up constantly and it is a major part of politics also. For those people who can not think about it, I am happy for you, but some of us can't seem to escape it even if we try to do so.

I don't see it as being "obsessed" with religion. As far as I can tell, it's FAR more
about being aware of the encroachment of religion on everyone's lives.
It's more about pushing back against the influence of religion on public policy.

It's about not being willing to acquiesce to being controlled by something I don't
believe in, and refuse to go along with.
The "obsession" is with fighting against the repression and damaging nature of religion.
It's trying to stop the harm religion does to people. Especially the vulnerable.
Children, the elderly, the infirm, anyone who is different from the "norm", are ALL
targeted by religion.
Children are indoctrinated before they reach the age where critical thinking can
protect them.
Children are subjected to sexual mutilation and predatory church "leaders".
Their minds are corrupted by bullshit that isn't real.

Yeah, anyone who wants to can come at me with that absurd accusation.
I welcome it. It gives me the opportunity to go back at them and their delusions.
Bring that bullshit to me. Please.

I think the reason atheists are obsessed with religion is that they, just like theists, are Homo sapiens. And Homo sapiens are designed by evolution to be obsessed with finding meaning.

It appears to me that we all fit into one of three categories, or some combination thereof. People who are obsessed with religion (80% of Homo sapiens), people who are obsessed with the absence of religion, and people who are obsessed with a replacement for religion, like the pseudo religions of political activism, consumerism, volunteerism, environmentalism, veganism, sports fanaticism, romanticism, heroism, mercantilism, alcoholism, the list is endless, and includes, at the far end, depression and mental illness.

Observing this to be the case, and sensing the inevitability of it, I have built for myself a formal practice that meets this natural need head on, without unconscious diversion into some activity that appears “safe from God”, but meets all the biological requirements that religions fill, while not conflicting with a scientifically informed worldview.

All Homo sapiens have something in the religion box. It is either conscious or unconscious; take your pick.

Obsessed by religions mmm no but sorry for people with blind and programmed minds.

I think you have it backwards.Religious people are obsessed with religion.

Right on.

As an atheist my obsession with religion is that I came out of religion. My parents took me in that direction by age 12 and I also had earlier experiences that made me aware of gods and religion. I studied to be a preacher and then realized years later that it is all false. There is nothing supernatural. Only things that humans do not understand. This means I am not convinced on many levels - no spacemen, nessie, or bigfoot, etc. If you think otherwise then prove them. You can't do it.

I do not trust those who think there are no gods but believe in aliens, etc. This would be like someone who thought pixies lived in their shoes. I do not believe people like Bush who said he and Laura were praying for us. How so? They do not even know us. Praying over a bunch of prayer requests written on paper is just more nonsense. If god knew the needs in advance why did he not just take care of them? Why would anyone have to pray over them?

My obsession with religion is kind of like this. To be a good mechanic you need to know a lot about cars. If you know nothing you are just making a claim and you are not a mechanic.

My answer: I don't care one way or another about religion. You keep your religion and beliefs to yourself and I will exercise my free will and keep my views to myself.

Being in the vast minority I wanted to make sure I got it right, which requires knowing a lot about what you don't believe in.

I am more concerned with climate change especially now a whole continent is on fire. while their leaders keep denying it. this is distressing as i knew a massive die off was coming.I pictured Bangladesh going under water as the Bengals have always been victims of others. now we are killing off massive amounts of poor creatures,

The religions which cause me the most grief are Leftism and Islam.

I think you have it right. You demonstrate courage and integrity!