Author Signing - Port Orchard, Washington, Olympic Peninsula - Halloween - October 31, 2025

Happy Halloween!

Have a fun, safe and sane holiday!

Today, I have an author event in Port Orchard, Washington. This is the next town over from me here in Bremerton. I prepared something to say…but as it turned out, it's going to be just an author signing. Still, I wasn't sure at first, so I prepared something to say just in case I was asked to...

Deity, Dogma, and Misperception in Death of Heaven

2024 New York City Big Book Award Winner for Horror

Cover art by Marvin Hayes

When I wrote *Death of Heaven* in 2012, my intention — other than simply to entertain — was to explore how we as human beings misunderstand reality. This is something that goes back to my university degree in psychology, concentrating in phenomenology.

How, when we encounter something beyond our understanding, we invent stories about it. We build beliefs, and from those beliefs we construct entire systems — religions, moral codes, even ideas of good and evil — all to make sense of what we’ve seen or felt, even when we don’t truly understand it.

To very poorly paraphrase what someone once said:

“Given enough time, humans will turn almost anything into a religion.”

Thus, Longevity + Repetition = Institutionalization, or Religion.

In 1769 Voltaire said:

“If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.”

Hanif Abdurraqib (said more recently):

“With enough repetition, anything can become a religion.”

Terry Pratchett, in Small Gods more or less said:

“If enough people believe, you can be god of anything,” i.e., belief over time/in numbers begets religion.

Eric Hoffer, American moral and social philosopher best known for his book The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements published in 1951, is often cited when discussing how long-lived movements harden into institutions:

“Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket.”

Finally, the great Doug Adams of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy fame:

“I am fascinated by religion. (That’s a completely different thing from believing in it!) … What is it? What does it represent? Why have we invented it? How does it keep going? What will become of it?”

He also said:

“Religion doesn’t seem to work like that; it has certain ideas at the heart of it which we call sacred or holy or whatever … really what it means is ‘Here is an idea or notion that you’re not allowed to say anything bad about; you’re just not.’ Why not? Because you’re not!”

For millennia, we humans believed the heavens revolved around us. That misperception wasn’t just an error — it became the organizing myth of civilization. From it grew:

-astronomy and mathematics (as early cultures tried to predict divine “movements” of the stars),

-architecture and art (temples and cathedrals aligned with celestial bodies),

-philosophy and theology (Aristotle, Ptolemy, Aquinas), and

-a moral worldview placing humanity at the center of creation.

Leaving that belief was painful. We murdered people over questioning it.

Every time humanity sheds an old illusion, it feels like dying a little. We fought to keep the Earth at the center of the universe; we silenced people for saying otherwise. But the truth didn’t care. It just waited. And that’s the same struggle my characters face in Death of Heaven — when reality refuses to match belief, but rather than belief fighting back...reality wins. And it’s horrifying.

This book wasn’t about denying religion, it wasn’t an attempt to destroy religion, rather it simply tries to point out just how often we misperceive reality.

That’s what *Death of Heaven* is really about. It’s horror, yes — to be sure, it’s adult horror, but not just in the sense of monsters or the supernatural.

It’s about the horror of realizing how fragile our understanding of existence might be... while reality is attacking us and allowing us no time to assimilate the new paradigm of reality.

The story follows people who experience things far beyond what they or anyone, can comprehend, and rather than accept the unknown, they interpret it through the only framework they have through their lived experiences: belief.

They assign meaning. They have to. And so they create gods out of confusion and terror, as humans have always done.

To me, that’s what’s fascinating — and frightening. We think of dogma as something ancient or religious, but it’s actually a very human reflex. We do it constantly, even today: we fill in the blanks when reality doesn’t make sense.

Both to our benefit and detriment.

The universe, in its enormity, doesn’t explain itself — and that silence is intolerable to us. We are pattern recognizers and so we assign the most obvious pattern to what we do not understand.

So we name it. We worship it. We fear it. We give it purpose, even when that purpose may never have existed.

In *Death of Heaven*, that instinct to explain — to create meaning — becomes both the source of our strength and the root of our tragedy. Because if our gods and our certainties are born from misunderstanding, then what happens when the truth finally arrives and refuses to fit those stories? What happens when heaven dies — not in the sky, but inside us, in the collapse of our own convictions?

So while I wrote it as a piece of speculative horror, it’s really an exploration of perception. Of how much of our reality is shaped by the stories we tell ourselves to survive. And maybe, just maybe, what we call divinity — or evil — isn’t divine or evil at all, but simply the way the universe looks when we see it through human eyes.

But what might happen in the sequel to the book? Once the entire world cannot deny that reality is not what we believed? Many will continue on. Some will not be able to and perhaps mass suicides will ensue. But many will not be able to deny what they had just lived through and will have to reinvent their perceived universe.

That’s the world I wanted to explore — not to deny belief, but to question how belief begins.

How much of what we hold sacred comes from something real, and how much from our own inability to accept what’s truly unknown? For me, that’s where both the horror and the wonder live — in that fragile space between what we think we know and what reality might actually be.

So, we can talk about that. You don’t need to have read the book — I’m more interested in people’s thoughts.

What do *you* think heaven is — or perhaps more appropriately...what happens when we realize it isn’t what we thought, and never was?

So there it is…Have a great and safe Halloween!

One more comment...

Happy Halloween, Creatures of the Night! 🩸

The veil’s thin, the moon’s high, and somewhere a chainsaw just revved for its final time.

Tonight isn’t about candy...It’s about carnage, creativity, and the macabre stories that keep our hearts pounding long after the lights go out.

Not just the terror of anticipation, or the horror of the moment—
but the lingering echo of tales gone dark and disturbing.

The kind that crawl back into your mind when the night’s gone quiet.

The kind that makes you check the lock… twice. 🔪

Whether you’re covered in fake blood or hiding behind your screen watching your favorite final fight back, remember: horror isn’t just a genre but a lifestyle. When you hear that click in the distant dark while reading, while watching...it's not real, remember, it's not real... just keep reading, just keep watching.

Stay twisted, my friends, stay safe...but if you hear that knock after midnight…

Well... maybe just don’t answer. 👀

Cheers! Sláinte! Na zdravie!

Exploring a Personal Path: From Slovakian Catholicism to Modern, Scientific Buddhism and Humanism

We are all shaped by our past, but the journey to self-understanding and personal philosophy is rarely a straight line. For me, while my father's family was of Irish descent (he mostly left my life when I was 3 and we were living in Spain), my mother's family is of Czechoslovakian descent and so the path has been long, winding, and full of exploration — beginning in my Slovak Catholic upbringing, moving through my study of and degree in, psychology, and eventually arriving at my own form of Buddhism and Humanism, all crafted through years of personal learning and introspection.

It’s not a "traditional" Buddhism — far from it — but one that resonates deeply with me, grounded in the original teachings of the Buddha, modified by an open, scientific mind.

The Catholic Foundation: A Starting Point

Raised in a Slovak Catholic household, my early years were defined by rituals, dogma, and a community of believers who lived their faith with devotion. Catholicism provided me with an early understanding of ritual, morality, and a sense of belonging. But as I grew older, I started questioning what I had been taught. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing, that the answers provided by religion weren’t as satisfying as I had hoped.

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Breaking Away: A Search for Truth

In high school, I began my intellectual journey, starting with psychology and broadening into other religions. I wasn’t content to simply reject my upbringing; instead, I sought out other traditions, attending different churches, reading religious texts, and talking to people from various faiths. I wanted to understand — not just what was right or wrong, but how each belief system fit into the complex puzzle of human experience.

It was through this process that I discovered the basic teachings of Buddhism. But my approach was far from traditional.

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The Path I Chose: A Modern, Practical Buddhism

Unlike the Buddhism practiced in countries where it’s been entrenched for centuries, my form of Buddhism is more of a personal, pragmatic approach — one grounded in the Buddha’s core teachings, but without the added layers of mythology, reincarnation, or sectarianism. I didn’t buy into the different "schools" of Buddhism that have evolved over the millennia. I instead focused on the Buddha’s teachings themselves, as he outlined them: suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path leading to the cessation of suffering.

This approach allowed me to take the essence of Buddhism without the doctrinal baggage that has piled up over centuries. Zen has had a particular resonance for me. The Buddha’s instruction to "kill the Buddha when you meet him on the road" — a radical rejection of attachment even to the teachings themselves — has always stuck with me. It’s a reminder that no idea, no teacher, no system should be clung to too tightly. The essence of wisdom isn’t in what we’ve been told, but in how we live and embody that wisdom.

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A Scientific Lens: Buddhism and Rational Inquiry

But there’s another crucial aspect to my journey: science. I wasn’t about to accept any belief system without critical thought. The study of psychology gave me a framework for understanding the mind, emotions, and human behavior. It wasn’t enough to just take Buddhism at face value. I wanted to ground my spiritual practice in reality, using evidence and empirical understanding to guide my choices.

This meant acknowledging that I couldn’t fully embrace the idea of reincarnation. Instead, I approached it as a concept rather than a truth. I recognize the possibility, but I don’t base my life around it. I prefer to focus on the Buddha's teachings in the present moment — on mindfulness, awareness, and self-regulation.

In essence, my form of Buddhism is a practical, secular approach to personal transformation, one that operates in the real world. It guides my decisions, my relationships, and my understanding of suffering and compassion — all informed by my personal experiences and years of study.

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Living the Path: A Modern Approach to Buddhism

The Buddha's teachings are more than just religious doctrine — they are tools for navigating life with clarity, equanimity, and mindfulness. For me, this means using the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path as a guide for understanding and addressing life’s challenges. Whether it’s dealing with personal suffering, the suffering of others, or the overwhelming complexities of life, Buddhism provides a framework to respond with awareness and compassion.

But it is not a path of blind faith or reliance on supernatural beliefs. Instead, it’s a continuous journey of self-discovery, reflection, and evolution — a way of shaping my understanding of life and the universe, informed by the best available knowledge and insights from both Buddhism and science.

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The Journey Continues

This is not a destination, but an ongoing process. My understanding of Buddhism, and of life, continues to evolve as I learn, grow, and encounter new experiences. It is not an identity I attach to — but rather, a way of being that allows me to continually check my own assumptions, reconsider my orientation, and live more fully in the present moment.

I didn’t find all the answers in one religion or philosophy. I had to ask questions, explore deeply, and synthesize what resonated with me — and through this journey, I’ve discovered a form of Buddhism that feels uniquely suited to my life. A life guided by reason, empathy, and mindfulness.

And while it may not be the Buddhism practiced in monasteries or by those born into Buddhist cultures, it is mine — shaped by experience, knowledge, and an unyielding search for truth.

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Thoughts

If there’s one thing I’ve learned on this journey, it’s that spirituality doesn’t have to be about adherence to dogma or following pre-existing systems of belief. It’s about finding what works — what brings peace, clarity, and wisdom to your life.

I invite anyone who’s on their own spiritual journey to explore, question, and find the path that feels most true to their own experience. Whether that path leads to Buddhism, science, or something entirely different, the goal remains the same: to live a life of awareness, compassion, and understanding.

But there's more...

"The Urantia Book: A Revelation for Humanity" (1995) by Martin Gardner details a history of how this book came to be written, but also about the local environment it was developed in. Which includes some of the American history detailed in the meme above.

The Urantia Book: A Cognitive Reorientation

When I first encountered the Urantia Book in the early 1970s, I didn’t approach it as a religious text in the traditional sense. While its content — an intricate narrative of the universe’s history, cosmology, and divine beings — is undeniably fascinating, I found its real value not necessarily in its doctrines, but in the way it reoriented my perception of the universe.

The Urantia Book demands a radical rethinking of basic concepts. It challenges how we understand everything — from the nature of God to the structure of the cosmos, and even the very words we use to describe existence. Words like "truth," "reality," "spirit," and "life" take on new meanings, encouraging the reader to redefine them in ways that make their usual sense seem limited or outdated. This shift is subtle yet profound: you start seeing connections between things that seemed unrelated before, and you begin to perceive more in less — finding depth, richness, and layers of meaning in moments or ideas that once felt trivial.

For example, the book introduces a cosmology where life is part of an evolving, interconnected, and purposeful universe. This perspective isn’t just about celestial realms and divine beings; it forces you to expand your understanding of life itself — the interconnectedness of all things, the purpose behind suffering and joy, and the dynamic nature of existence. It's not about dogma; it's about mental reorientation. By altering your understanding of certain concepts, you begin to view your place in the universe not as fixed, but as part of an ongoing, expansive journey.

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A New Way of Seeing: From the Religious to the Philosophical

My son’s journey into the Urantia Book, along with his exploration of other religious texts like the Bible and the Qur’an, is part of this same broader quest to challenge assumptions and expand mental horizons. But the Urantia Book offers something unique: it alters the way you think about the universe, existence, and even the very nature of reality. It's like a lens through which you see the world more expansively and richly. But in this, it’s also a bridge between religion and philosophy, especially as he continues his studies.

Where the Bible and Qur’an offer moral frameworks and narratives rooted in faith and divine authority, the Urantia Book invites the reader to engage with its teachings in a way that feels less like doctrine and more like an invitation to think expansively. In this way, it challenges the mind to evolve, much as the Buddha’s teachings, Zen practices, and phenomenology encourage deep personal reflection and critical thought.

This is why I suggested that my son turn his focus next to Phenomenology of Perception by Merleau-Ponty. Just as the Urantia Book altered my perception by expanding the definitions of key terms, Merleau-Ponty offers a philosophical deep dive into how we experience the world — how perception, embodied experience, and consciousness shape our understanding. For someone who has already been questioning and expanding his spiritual and intellectual horizons through religious texts, this philosophical shift is a natural progression. It’s an exploration of how the mind constructs meaning, which ties beautifully into the way Urantia reorients one’s mental framework.

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A Journey of Expansion: Final Thoughts

The intellectual and spiritual journey I began decades ago — from a Slovak Catholic upbringing to an open-minded exploration of multiple religious and philosophical systems — mirrors the journey my son is now undertaking. What we seek isn’t simply the answers to life’s questions, but the expansion of our minds and the deepening of our understanding. Whether it's through the complex cosmologies of the Urantia Book, the grounding philosophies of phenomenology, or the timeless teachings of Buddhism, the goal is the same: to grow beyond the limited confines of inherited belief and engage with life in its fullest complexity.

For me, The Urantia Book was never about accepting its content as absolute truth. Instead, it was a tool — a way of reshaping how I perceive the world. It altered my mental framework structurally, not in my knowledgebase or beliefs, thus inviting me to think bigger, to see more deeply, and to question what I thought I knew. This is the gift I hope my son receives: not just intellectual knowledge, but a deeper, more flexible understanding of reality itself, one that keeps evolving as he continues his journey of inquiry and exploration.

Regarding the concept of 'questioning authority': it's crucial to understand when to question and when not to, as some can get carried away with unfounded beliefs, losing their ability to think critically or function rationally. For within that is an orientation that can destroy families, or even entire countries.

As I continue to guide along my own path, I realize that the most important lesson I’ve learned — through every book, every conversation, and every experience — is that wisdom isn’t a destination. It’s a continuous process of transformation, constantly challenging and expanding the boundaries of our perception.

Compiled with aid of ChatGPT

Formula for Magical Thinking: Understanding the Roots of Belief in Magic

I propose a formula for a belief in magic evolving in a society, race, or species.

In older times, frustration wasn’t just an emotional inconvenience—it was existential. If you couldn't make sense of a bad harvest, an illness, or a sudden disaster, magical thinking could offer comfort or even a survival advantage by reinforcing communal rituals and beliefs.

Magical thinking in the context of religion refers to the belief that one's thoughts, words, or actions can directly influence events in the physical world, often in ways that defy the laws of nature. In religious contexts, it can manifest as the idea that rituals, prayers, or specific behaviors can bring about desired outcomes, such as healing, protection, or prosperity, without the need for logical cause and effect. This type of thinking may be seen in belief systems where individuals think they can control divine forces or supernatural entities by performing certain actions, following rituals, or holding specific beliefs, often relying on faith rather than evidence.

Indeed, magical thinking can be a part of religious beliefs. In many religions, there are practices or rituals that involve a sense of control over events or outcomes through prayer, offerings, or other sacred acts. For example, a person may pray for a specific outcome, believing that the prayer itself can invoke divine intervention or change the course of events. While this might seem similar to magical thinking, in the context of religion, it's often rooted in faith in a higher power or divine being rather than just believing in the power of the individual’s actions alone. The difference lies in the belief that the outcome is ultimately under the will or influence of a divine force, rather than being purely a matter of the individual's will or effort.

Today, are we so occupied with modern distractions—entertainment, social media, work, and obligations—that we don’t have the same kind of prolonged, unstructured time to dwell on frustration in the same way? When frustration does arise, it’s often channeled into quick fixes: venting online, consuming content, or indulging in distractions. And with imagination constantly stimulated by media, games, and digital interactions, it may be less likely to produce grand mythologies or magical systems the way it did in the past.

Where M represents the degree of magical belief, T is the amount of free time available for contemplation (as in slower-moving societies throughout history), F is frustration with life's inevitabilities, and I is imagination and creativity. The presence of R (rational or scientific influence) in the denominator accounts for the moderating effect of education, skepticism, and empirical understanding, which can reduce magical belief even when T, F, and I are high.

How This Reflects Modern Trends:

• In pre-modern societies, R was low, so even moderate values of T, F, and I led to strong magical beliefs.
• In today’s fast-paced world, T is lower, and F may be redirected into distractions, but I remains high. However, R (scientific influence) has also increased, suppressing M somewhat.
• Where F is still high (e.g., economic distress, personal crises), magical thinking persists, especially in areas where R is weaker (less education, distrust in science).

As to a name that reflects its purpose and conceptual foundation. Here are some possibilities:

1. The Belief Genesis Formula (BGF)

• Emphasizes how belief in magic arises from certain conditions.

2. The Magical Cognition Equation (MCE)

• Focuses on how cognitive factors shape magical thinking.

3. The Mysticism Propensity Model (MPM)

• Suggests a model for why people are drawn to mystical or magical beliefs.

4. The TFI-R Model of Magical Belief

• Uses the core components (T, F, I, and R) as part of the name, similar to other scientific models.

5. The Rational-Mythic Balance Equation (RMBE)

• Highlights the interplay between rationality and myth-making.

I kind of like BGF...

Compiled with aid of ChatGPT

It is Past Time to Recognize Religion as Myth Worship

Society, especially so-called polite society, rules the day in allowing theists to pretend their reality is real. Isn't it finally time to call religion mythology and its worship of it characters myth worship?

That being said, regarding mass shootings of religious groups... that is not how you evolve beyond something. You cannot do it from outside. You do not have hate for others in order to evoke social evolution. That, is a sign you are on the wrong track.

We have a leadership in America right now in Donald Trump, that is nationalist and ignorant, greedy for power and wealth and evoking more ignorance. Denying science and reality and telling lies daily from our highest office which is inflaming the foolish and the mentally and emotionally and even socially, damaged in our society. Stop it. Americans should not kill Americans. The American government, should not kill Americans. Really, we should not be killing anyone, unless it is to stop them from killing or harming others.

You Need To Consider The Possibility Your Religion Is Mythology

Still, there is a groundswell rising against religions in the world.

And we're seeing dysfunctional reactions within them against one another. Mostly based in the three desert religions of the Middle East. It's not really being noticed for what it is and is building in the so-called "First World" countries. And why is that?

Also, those Theists who support religion and do notice this are totally misunderstanding what is happening.

I don't believe anyone (certainly not me or anyone I know) are really against people exploring their spiritual beliefs, their religion, per se, or even wanting to end it tomorrow. This is still America, still a free country, regardless of the illiberal actions of some in power at this time.

Hopefully, with our attention and efforts, we will be putting an end to that very soon in 2020 and ending the conservative and Trump delusional form of governing.

However, there are still and always some obvious downsides to religion. Such as extremism. And religion's biggest travesty, "cherry picking" among their beliefs in order to fit them more closely into reality, sanity and logic.

Those who ignorantly profess their "faith" incorrectly and inaccurately enable their religions to continue and evolve when they should have died off centuries ago. It also enables those abusing others for their own misguided religions fundamentalism.

Those who are attacking such groups as transgenders, calling them child molesters, or ridiculously and ignorantly equating trans or gays with bestiality, when the reality is quite different and they are really quite normal, just different than the "norm".

If there's such a thing. When really it's about majorities and minorities. And where so often we see those types who call out others as degenerates, being charged with many of those same offenses themselves and so being outed as the hypocrites they were, to begin with. Typically all for reasons of position, power and wealth.

Kids More Likely To Be Molested At Church Than In Transgender Bathrooms

What this growing irritation is leading eventually to is a reaction against all those who are so-called believers. If they can simply follow their religion and keep their mouths shut, I don't think anyone would care to bother with actions against them in any way.

But when one considers all the bad actions and ill will that has been built around theism in recent times, what else could one expect? Pushing their beliefs into others faces, into our government, is illiberal and incorrect and even criminal. Certainly unconstitutional.

Those who say their religion requires them to do certain things, to get involved, to sway non-believer's beliefs in aggressive fashions, is just asking for a reaction against themselves, and others like them.

And then you have people like Donald Trump as POTUS who use religion in a morally reprehensible fashion for purely political purposes and lying, claiming he is a religious individual, which his only religion us capitalism and even beyond that to kleptocratic and oligarchical actions.

If you take this kind of behavior to its obvious conclusions, it's death for the future of religious institutions overall. To be sure it will take time. To be sure they may never really completely die off in a kind of half-life form of degeneration. Where they will halve in power and membership seemingly forever, but never quite go completely away.

Because religion is a symptom of the human mind, the human brain, and human evolution. It is a form of thought that should fade away as humankind evolves to the next stage and the ones after that. There are some beliefs that are more functional that some of the major religions today. Better than the ridiculous ones we hear of so often in the likes of Mormonism, Christian sects, Muslim sects, and even Jewish sects. As well as corporate thought style beliefs like Scientology.

Buddhism for one, the Buddha Dharma is far more functional that most if not all other "religions". While not a religion itself, but more of what we need in a mental discipline. I am not selling it as an answer. To be sure it too has fallen to the damages of the human reconstruction in ignoring its original teaches and adding nonsense to them down through the millennia so it too is viewed as more of another ridiculous religion.

The one saving grace is what Gautama (Siddhartha) Buddha Himself said, and you typically don't see in any religion, is to trust your instincts and if you're being taught something stupid, simply don't believe it. I dropped religion when I was younger, for sanity and reason themselves:

"In the time of the Gautama Buddha, many holy teachers and priests also wandered from village to village offering their teachings and principles to anyone who would listen. How can we differentiate an authentic teacher from a charlatan? According to tradition, Siddhartha Gautama offered the answer on one of his many journeys:
“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”
– Gautama Buddha

In what other "religion" would you come across koans or one such as:

“If you meet the Buddha, kill him.”– Linji

Humankind seems to wish for Magic, rather than Reality. It needs buffers to the daily grind and abuse of living. I learned of ancient Asian philosophies in grade school Isshinryu Karate classes in that Okinawan martial arts and philosophical system.

Through my life, I found one similarity after another to that. I found some similarities in the Catholicism I was raised with and abandoned by 9th grade. I became well read in philosophy from the Greeks to the ancients in India and China and Japan. I found people who grew up in Buddhist countries seemed the most oriented toward Buddhism as a religion. Which to me was reversed to what it was intended to be.

I found that the Catholic teachings appeared to have a basis in Buddhism. At university for my degree in psychology, I found many of the beliefs in that discipline to be very Buddhist in nature. At least the most functional forms. I learned about humankind's relationship to ritual and repetition. And I studied phenomenology and began to see how religion had gone awry.

How through anthropology and philosophy, sociology and psychology, it became clear where we began and how we evolved.

Religion is not the end, but the beginning, sadly. As when one learns how to walk, one changes and drops that methodology when one learns how to run, ride a bike and fly a jet or a spacecraft. And yet we hang onto the old ways out of fear. Out of conservatism. Out of ignorance. An ignorance we no longer need to cloak ourselves in.

We just need to be brave, learn the better ways and move into the future along with our overall inevitable development.

Still some, especially the conservative mind, holds onto it as if life depends on it. And it thoroughly does not. We may never evolve fully into our potential if we cannot finally let it go.

On the one hand, while they want to expand their ranks while religion is in this current phase of dying off. They aren't considering the reasons for religion's warnings because it's been discussed as a part of their theologies and epistemologies simply because they've been persecuted in the past.

Humankind and society have tried again and again to purge themselves of religious, but have failed repeatedly because they needed a replacement. A modern and functional form of mind management. It will happen, but it is like fighting an addict's cravings for what they are so used to, what they are indoctrinated into from childhood, to need.

While the individual may need something in daily life, society at large obviously does not. And we're seeing the dysfunctionality of it all over the world today.

One wonders perhaps why anyone would want to persecute someone else because of their beliefs until you have had to deal with someone being really and truly religiously annoying on continual and daily basis. Those who flaunt their mythology in the face of reality and against reality.

While religion will surely not end once and for all anytime soon, and while we do need to allow people their freedom in their choices, the rest of us should not have to suffer through living within their delusions around our society. It is a kind of reversed abuse. To be sure, enjoy your religion, just allow us the benefit of enjoying not enjoying it.

We can and should at least all agree that others are worshipping their chosen myths from the past, and then go on our way. Undisturbed and unperturbed by those theists who still wish to continue with this internal mental standing bicycle of a mentality spinning its wheels and going nowhere. Certainly not progressing into the future of the continued evolution of humankind.