New Atheists who are fond of bringing up "the list" are being intellectually dishonest. Historical atrocities were perpetrated in the name of religion merely be

New Atheists who are fond of bringing up "the list" are being intellectually dishonest. Historical atrocities were perpetrated in the name of religion merely because, at the time, religion had offered the best flag to wave. It is a symptom of an inherent human tendency to swarm. Religious adherents who are fond of claiming that without religion, men would have never been viewed as equals, morality would have been weaker, liberty would never have emerged as a doctrine of thought, etc. are being equally dishonest for the same reasons -- religion was merely the medium used for transmission of some self-evident truths. Then again, I didn't read the suggested book (yet) so maybe I should STFU.