Unfortunately, you're right in practically all cases.  Belief informs action, in almost every case.  That's why you don't have devout Hindus that eat cows, devout Jews who eat pork or devout Catholics who think abortion is ok.

I've met exactly three believers in my life who, in my opinion, "got it" about religion.  One was a Christian who thought abortion was wrong and so would not get one, but did not think it was an option that should be taken away from someone else.  Then there was the Hindu that used to buy burgers for the neighbourhood barbecues he'd throw because he knew everyone else would eat them.  The third was a Muslim woman from a devout family that felt her submission to god had zero to do with what anyone else felt was important, be that person Muslim or not.

I'm with you.  I think it's an escape hatch for people who are either 1) having a lot of wishful thinking about the ability of the human mind to compartmentalize or 2) don't want others to think they're "one of those dirty atheists" or something.

The problem is, belief is an action; just like speaking or voting.  Beliefs are not congenital conditions like fingerprints.  At some point, you made the decision to act as if your belief were true. If you believe something, it's because you made a choice.  If that choice was about something rational, great.  If that choice was about something bugfuck crazy, not so great.

And as an aside, it's the funtamentalists who usually have the kinkiest sexual proclivities.  When's the last time there was a sex scandal involving a Reform rabbi doing crank with a gay male prostitute or a Unitarian minister snorting coke off the thighs of a stripper?

exactly. 

I just had this discussion with a friend last night. He could not (or would not) grasp the idea that many of our greatest problems are directly or indirectly caused by blind faith in the unprovable. When I told him we needed to kill religion and get people focused on only that which can be verified he accused me of thinking exactly like theists. I asked him to point out the failing of my logic or where I made any spectacular claims not supported by evidence. He dodged it. We proceeded to go through who bears the burden of proof and all of that other crap. I have to say I'm more than a little disappointed to hear a lifelong atheist and one of the most skeptical people I've ever met engage in such sloppy thinking.

I've heard you guys don't really have freedom of speech there. Criticizing others will apparently get you charged with hate speech.

Yes and no.  Freedom of speech is a Charter right, but there is currently a problem with how hate speech is defined, and the Human Rights Tribunal having too much power.  I think that will actually get fixed in the next few years as political correctness/oversensitivity continues to wane.

Come on, Canada: making someone feel badly about the choices they make does not entail a human rights violation.

I'm waiting a while before I decide to move.  If McCain gets elected it may depend on who his veep will be.  If it's Huckafuck I'll be on the next plane, bus, train, whatever to get the hell out of Dodge.  If it's (unfortunately the best choice with a chance to win) Obama I'll wait to see what he does with the faith based crap.  If he expands it without stringent oversight that is enforced I can live with that so long as organizations like Americans United are able to continue bringing lawsuits against violators including the government.

The only problem I'd have with Canada would be once the U.S. becomes a theocracy, them bastards could simply invade to bring christianity to the heathens in the north.

I agree with you Shelly %100. I have the same problem getting the point across to my friends. I'm def. moving. Period. I'll move quicker if McCain is elected. Canada is a possibility, but I think I'm going to try England or Southern France. SF has the huge plus of being in the perfect location to get some of the best cooking in the world. ^_^

Our news guys have actually gone after so called faith healers for their claims, the likes of Benny hinn aren't exactly welcomed by the media and the public in general (although we do have a lot of religious folks that come from everywhere including the northern states when he does come) as they tend to want proof of such miraculous healings....and we don't just let it slide with oh god works in mysterious ways.

The incident I had in mind was an anchor criticizing Islam and a certain cleric. I read about it on RichardDawkins.net but I couldn't find the article.

It depends on the degree to which they believe in such things.  Most christians here in Australia are what is referred to as "twice a year christians" at most, their beliefs is something that is little more than background noise.  When making choices they would weigh up the evidence.  In the examples of creationism and second coming for the people I'm talking about, they believe it but it's not something they ever think about.  It's more a case of them being old earth creationists at most who follow the scientific explanation or what is more common amongst those I've spoken to, the creationist idea is now just fiction and the old way of explaining things before we really knew what was going on ... the events are rationalised as being on some plane other than the one we live on.  Second coming, once again they're more concerned about their lives and living them.  It'll happen when it happens.  Any further prodding in regards to either of these questions results in a "Who knows?  Who cares?" 

Our ex minister for health (Tony Abott) wasn't one of these people.  Despite overwhelming evidence he, on numerous occasions (the two better known being a cervix cancer related one and one to help avoid pregnancy), took the religious stance and blocked federal incentives or even approval for drugs which had been fully tested and deemed safe, while other things not related to sex that hadn't been fully tested were let through.  Fortunately on the two occasions that came to mind, his own staff rebelled and managed to overrule his decisions allowing these things through.

Back to those who don't know and don't care, they aren't completely admonished(I think that's the word I'm after?), as has been covered numerous times they're still providing protection for the more fundy people out there such as Tony Abott, and he pales in comparison to the fundies you get out in your neck of the woods.