What is negative about faith is that a person can be persuaded against
their better reason by someone who understands how to manipulate. Jim
Jones for example was a charming man who used his charisma to persuade some
very idealistic people that he could lead to a new society of love. His
hold on them caused them to overlook his rather bizarre desires and abuse.
What we must change is to get people to have faith in themselves and to
find in themselves everything that is needed to find peace and happiness.
It is our belief that we must look outside for things (both material and
spiritual) to sustain us that is the false belief.
As a theist I think that as a child of God I have a connection through Him
to everyone else. As a Buddhist I know that I need no priest to accomplish
my own enlightenment.
If the atheists can find the same connection, then we are on the same wave
length even if we have the opposite belief.
Marie
Marie L. Foster
<http://www.geocities.com/~mfos/>