One person's religion is superstition to many others. Religion is not science. It is based on beliefs, not facts. Many people insist their religious beliefs are facts, but they are not. They are beliefs, true to them and superstitions and fables to many others.
People need to decide what they value more, conformity or freedom. Religion too often demands conformity. Freedom demands questioning. Taking away the right to criticize, to reject, to mock religion is taking away freedom itself.
No religious ideology has the right to spread by force or to force anyone to submit. Religious violence and aggression must be challenged and repudiated.
Religious freedom is being hamstringed when it is needed most.
God is not exclusive. What a remote tribe believes in the Amazon or Congo is no less valid than the beliefs of those that insist God's message can only be found in certain books given to people in specific geographic locations. Those that insist only their God is the right god, only their religion is the right religion, only their religion and beliefs are the truth, and that only their prophet or prophets are the right prophets, have not died and returned to earth with a knowledge no one else possesses.
No religion has the exclusive right to God or truth. Rejecting religion does not necessarily mean embracing atheism. People can have faith in God or a higher power and be free of religion. Religion is a set of beliefs, not all of which might be good or beneficial, and some of which might be harmful and cruel. In some instances, religion is used as a shield that evil people hide behind. God is different than religion, and does not require religion to be believed in. No one religion owns God or truth.
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