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> For argument's sake, let's assume there's no such thing as God -- then the entire basis for every religion is fraudulent but it's not -knowingly- fraudulent,

• harshreality 14y ago
  Leaders of pentacostal/evangelical churches, perhaps? Are they knowingly fraudulent? There's no way to tell if most religious leaders truly believe, unless you catch one in an incontrovertible statement of disbelief. Even someone like the Pope could be going along with it for the prestige, or simply not knowing what he'd do with his life outside of the Church. From a non-religious perspective, either someone is brainwashed, or they are fraudulent. That distinction matters in law, but it doesn't have any bearing on the value of the religious institution.