Have you ever heard someone claim that religion is bigoted and divisive?  This claim is often made by those who fail to see the difference between bigotry concerning religion and religious bigotry.

Any strongly-held belief can be divisive for those who are intolerant. This includes ideas held by atheists who strongly believe there is no God.  This group was very outspoken in their opposition to U.S. President Barack Obama’s appointment of Dr. Francis Collins to head up the National Institutes of Health in 2009.  It did not matter to them that he led the team that mapped the human genome, or that he has never made a scientific proclamation based on his religion.  They felt his faith in God alone rendered him not worthy.  This is bigotry concerning religion, but religion isn’t the source of the bigotry.

The problem is refusal by anyone, atheist or believer, to accept that others hold differing beliefs.  The frequent use of loaded language, insults and ad hominem attacks lobbed by non-believers stands as evidence that intolerance is not the result of religion; it’s the result of a flaw in the human condition.

What are your thoughts?