People have been telling me lately that religion is a benign phenomenon. Belief in God gives people hope, makes them kinder, more accepting of others and their differences. Atheists, it is argued, are wrong in their assessment that religion “makes good people do evil things.” God is the Snuggle Bear in the sky and all that. Why can’t we leave well enough alone?

This documentary tells a different tale. The people in this video are far more extreme than most people we’ll ever meet, but it’s really a matter of degree. If you think your God wants you to stone adulterers, avoid sex, or rejoice at his punishment of “sinners” then you might want to think about how this looks to others. There are real consequences in the real world for such beliefs. Blind hatred is one of them.

(Thanks to Stewart for the link.)