Common straw man arguments

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Religion inspires intolerance

The fact that there are so many intolerant religious adherents such as fundamentalist Christians and Muslims might lead some anti-religious people, perhaps Anti-theists to the conclusion that all religions inspire intolerance. Not all religions inspire intolerance, many promote tolerance. For example, Buddhism and Sikhism reject the Indian/Hindu caste system. ^{[citation needed]}

Religion rejects science

"Religion rejects science" is a term sometimes used by atheists to uniformly apply to all religions and movements within religions. This is not completely true.

• The Clergy Letter Project
• Christians that see no conflict between science and religion
• Baha'is that see no conflict between science and religion
• Affiliation of Christian Geologists
• AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion
• American Scientific Affiliation
• The BioLogos Foundation

Religion produces fear

Some Atheists like to claim that religion scares adherents into following them or become moral. This is only true for religions that threaten their adherents with eternal punishment or something similar. Scaring adherents may sometimes make the adherents themselves threatening. For more information about how some religions scare people into doing good, see Hell, Avoidance of hell, and Problem of Hell.

Religion is irrational

Main Article: Religion is irrational

Since many religions have beliefs, dogma, and some rules that may seem illogical and/or absurd, some Atheists might come to the conclusion that all religions are illogical. Below are some examples of religion that are very (or just quite) rational and/or non-dogmatic.

Examples

Not only Unitarian Universalism is non-dogmatic, it also has no creed. ^{[citation needed]} In fact, many Unitarian Universalists are Atheists. Many sects of Buddhism teach adherents to think before accepting something; however, Zen Buddhism is not dogmatic at all. Despite some strict rules such as not cutting your hair and the concept of a self-contradicting god, Sikhism rejects superstition and many rituals they find meaningless. ^{[citation needed]}

Christianity

• All Christians are anti-homosexual
• Christians hate sex
• Christians hate alcohol^{[citation needed]}
• Christians are intolerant to other religions^{[citation needed]}
• Christians are Conservatives.
• Christians are anti-evolution
• Christians support the merger of church and state^{[citation needed]}
• Christians are anti-feminist
• Christians are opposed to abortion

For more information, see:

• Misconceptions About Christianity

Islam

• Muslims see themselves as martyrs ^{[citation needed]}
• Islam requires women to cover up their faces
• Muslims are fundamentalists ^{[citation needed]}
• Music and singing are forbidden in Islam
• Muslims reject Jesus as a prophet
• All Muslims are Arabs
• Muhammad was the founder of Islam ^{[citation needed]}
• Dogs are not allowed to be kept by Muslims ^{[citation needed]}
• Homosexuals must be put to death in Islam
• Wife beating is allowed in the Quran
• Democracy is not compatible with Islam ^{[citation needed]}
• Islam promotes racism
• Islam and The Quran promotes Jihad ^{[citation needed]}
• Muslims worship a moon-god
• Muslims are terrorists

For more information, see:

• Common misconceptions about Islam, Muslims and The Quran

Judaism

• Jews are an ethnic group ^{[citation needed]}
• Jews think they are the chosen people ^{[citation needed]}
• Jews are unfriendly ^{[citation needed]}
• Jews killed Jesus ^{[citation needed]}
• Jews read the Old Testament ^{[citation needed]}

For more information, see:

• 4 Misconceptions Jews Have About Judaism
• Four Top Misconceptions People Have About Judaism
• 4 common misconceptions many Jews have about Judaism

Buddism

• The Buddha is the fat guy ^{[citation needed]}
• Buddhism teaches that nothing is real ^{[citation needed]}
• All Buddhists meditate ^{[citation needed]}
• All Buddhists believe in reincarnation ^{[citation needed]}
• The Buddha is God ^{[citation needed]}
• Buddhism is a reformation of Hinduism ^{[citation needed]}

For more information, see:

• Some Common Misconceptions About Buddhism in America
• Misconceptions about Buddhism on DhammaWiki
• Misconceptions about Buddhism
• Common Misconceptions About Buddhism
• Misconceptions About Buddhism on About.com

Hinduism

• Hinduism is a Polytheistic religion ^{[citation needed]}
• Hinduism worship cows ^{[citation needed]}
• Hinduism supports the caste system ^{[citation needed]}
• All variants of Hinduism are all the same ^{[citation needed]}

For more information, see:

• Common Misconceptions about Hinduism on About.com
• Common Misconceptions about Hinduism
• Misconceptions about Hinduism
• Specific Misconceptions and Truths about Hinduism

Jainism

• Jainism is a sect of Hinduism ^{[citation needed]}
• Jains are Hindus who have adopted a Jain way of worship ^{[citation needed]}

For more information, see:

• Myths of Jainism and Hinduism Clarified

Vodun

• Followers of Vodun use Voodoo dolls