Why care what people believe?

religiousragings:

Hey, Steve. A lot of people ask me why we shouldn’t just let people believe what they want, however ignorant, instead of trying to debate or teach them reasoning. I came across a great example: two nights ago, I was speaking with a nineteen year old girl from a VERY conservative, Christian family. Her church taught that women’s bodies were dangerous and made men sin through lust. Only thirteen at the time, this caused her so much guilt that she developed an eating disorder because she felt that it would make men stop looking at her with lust, and she would no longer be making them sin. Her family learned about her disorder, believing it to be caused by some desire to look like a model, and refused to take her to a doctor. Instead, they tried to pray away her illness. In five months of praying, she hadn’t gotten any better, and she had already lost thirty pounds. They finally had to take her to the doctor, and in the six years since then, she hasn’t fallen back into her disorder. I find it absolutely disgusting that people willingly put their children through that kind of thing, and then refuse them medical attention at only thirteen years old. Of course, this is only one of many great examples, but I found this particularly saddening and thought it might interest you. Later, Steve!

-Sean (elementary-son)

The scary part is that this IS just one of many great examples.  And many, many of these great examples will never be known or heard about.  The enslavement of children to the parent’s beliefs (which can cover such a wide spectrum from faith to faith that they can be called arbitrary with near literalness) is one of religion’s most repugnant attributes.

(Source: skepticalavenger, via darwinsminion)