I credit him with making me a much better debater as I used a lot of the information presented there, along with the understanding of how arguments can be classed as strawmans, red herrings, etc. You start recognizing the patterns people start using with their arguing, and you spot the cop-outs and lack of validity so much easier.
Anyhow, I just wanted to comment particularly on one part of a thread I saw that seems to be a really big issue with people.
The people that seem to be in sympathy with the religious minded folk suggest that we should be tolerant of everyone's views and beliefs, and hench we are being bigoted by criticizing their faiths. They even ask directly, Why? What does it hurt? Who are there beliefs affecting?
I'll tell you who. EVERYONE.
This seems to be something people aren't quite getting through their heads. Anything that you accept as true, and give any form of expression to, whether verbal or demonstrative, will affect other human beings.
Anyone who expresses the view that something is morally "sinful" to someone else, is then responsible for their actions and the subsequent response they are evoking in people. So that being the case, how can anyone say that we do not have the right to judge people's beliefs and actions? I had this argument ad nauseum with someone regarding the Marc Hall issue that was going on here in Toronto, and he just couldn't seem to get this. He kept screaming "hate-mongers" and "bigotry" anytime someone made the slightest criticism of the Church or it's teachings. To his mind, being Catholic is an identity and not a chosen set of beliefs. But that's where he was wrong. Homosexuals, blacks, asians, women, etc. These are all differing classes of human beings that are innate characteristics. No changing of them, ( well except the women some would argue.

But it is NOT bigotry to judge someone for CHOSEN beliefs and labels that are contrary to what most people would consider moral and just. Not to mention reasonable.
So we all have the right to jump down anyone's throat who cannot justify their beliefs and actions by anything other than "I believe it". Especially when they are reprehensible to well-educated and humanistic individuals of society.
I refuse to BE tolerant any longer of people who are espousing hate with a smiling face. They may be ignorant, but I don't have to be tolerant of it. If you want to live in this world as a human being with rights, then you should have to LIVE like a human being and not a brainwashed puppet with a pull string that repeats the same tired old Biblical drivel of 2000 years ago.