I don't think atheism if harmful to society...you have the right to believe as you choose...

to each his own but I feel we benefit from believing in a higher power.

Religion is mental poison when it is inflicted on the young...it should be regulated like tobacco and voting (must be 18 to be preached to)

How can atheism be helpful or hurtful? Am I naive to think that it's not a matter of state opinion?

i believe in God, and people who are atheism hurts me because they say non'factable information about God that they can't prove. God works in mysterious ways. I know because my little brother Joey is in Heaven right now chilling with the the Lord!

they are going to be getting eating by grub worms, sucks to be them

WHO CARES??

I'll say it hurts only in that ANY with strong religious beliefs tend to filter their decisions based on those beliefs.

Its a personal choice, nothing to do with anyone else but that individual...

Without God the world is nonexsitent. God made the world and us.

Sometimes the religious wackos do more harm than good.

everyone is entitled to their beliefs and the athiests at least arent starting a holy war

There's nothing really wrong with it. People could believe in one God, many Gods, or they don't have to believe in any God.

It doesn't matter.

Everyone has different beliefs.

freedom of choice

WORKS FOR ME.

As a born again Christian, I think many will be surprised to see me place that there. I think oftentimes a person has a better chance of discovering a personal relationship with God by trying to figure out why He is unnecessary, such as the Apostle Paul, who started out as a staunch opponent against Christianity. I'm not saying to stop spreading the Gospel, but sometimes preaching or disapproving another's lifestyle will cause alienation rather than understanding.

Ignorant people pollute the minds of others and harm there chances on getting to heaven because atheists work for the devil!!!!

I pray for atheists.I feel they are ignorant to what the good word of the Lord has to offer.

i don't judge anyone.
but i wish everyone could find the lord and accept him in their lives.
it's amazing.

IRRELEVANT! THEY WILL PERISH AND BE FORGOTTEN!

I couldn't believe in aitheism, but at least it demonstrates the rights and freedoms we have... (in North America, at least)

Some may be of the opinion that Atheism doesn't hurt anyone.There are many "worldly intellectuals" who think they can actually believe God away and everything is ok.Existence of anything is not magically non-existent just because you are of the opinion to either not be accountable to a creator,or live an evil life without restraint.Many people do not trust what they can't see with their own eyes or touch with their own hands.Every man thinks he is right in his "own" mind in this world,but if every man uses that as a standard,we are all running in different directions,(not a pretty sight).God didn't create us to smack us over the head with his laws.He is a loving God and he knows that without a plan,we would all suffer the pains of eternal suffering just because we rejected his gateway to eternal life.God loves everybody(including athiests) so much that he sent his own son in the flesh of a man to live a perfect life and then offer himself as a scapegoat for every human being that was ever born so that they could enjoy a life of eternal peace without weapons,without wars,without disease,without hatred and without death.Jesus Christ died and conquered sin,death and the grave so that we don't experience the "second death" which is eternal damnation where one would wish for death to take them away,but there is no escape from damnation except that (while we are alive and able to make a decision for life today instead of a death sentence)we accept the sacrifice that the son of God made for all.And no,you can't see or touch God(because he is spirit),but the one think that will save you is your faith.Faith is the substance of things hoped for and not recieved YET.Faith is believing what you can't see or touch will come to pass.Go is faithful.He will accept you with all of your faults and transform you into a work of art and also mold you into perfection one day at a time.The one thing that will stand in the way of faith is an intellectual mind which only accepts logic and seeable things to form an opinion.But know this: as high as heaven is above the earth,so are God's ways,reasonings,wisdom and love above our human capacity to "know" things.I would hate to think that there would be some that are reading this right now thinking that I'm full of hot air and I don't know what I am talking about and not give God a chance to improve the foundation of their life even now and continue into eternity with the peace that is beyond our understanding,and eternal joy.

Well,I've never heard of an athiest bombing a clinic or going on a "Jihad" or "Holy War".Maybe that's what John Lennon had in mind when he wrote "Imagine".

It was forbidden to practice religion from where I came from. For the first 15 years of my life I've never been in church and knew nothing about it. Later, after relocating into USA, I was introduced for the first time to what church was. This is so wrong to take away human's choices. I missed on a lot.

This is a strickly personal thing - it can only help or harm the person holding the belief. That is, unless that person decided to strike out and start doing away with people who hold an opposite belief. In that case, I'd blame insanity before I would the belief system anyway.

Dosen't hurt or harm. Luckily in America we have the right to be an atheist. Even though you you will be judged and put down for your belief, at least you can choose it.

Largely helpful. Without atheists and their influence, Christianity would play a much more oppressive role in American life than it does and many scientific fields of inquiry and research would be less advanced than they are today.

In the US, people should be allowed to believe whatever they want to without fear of retaliation or intimidation. It's good to have a mixture of beliefs. It strengthens the nation.

I don't know that Hitler was an atheist. He apparently tithed to the Catholic Church until his death. Might have been for show, but he did seem to have an idea that he was an instrument of some higher power.

I don't mean to tackle the athiests but I stumbled on the following comment by BirdEgal202 and it needs commentary. 2. BirdEgal202 (2) , on 1/20/2006 9:49:00 PM, said: "At least athiests don't try to kill for their own beliefs. Sure, there are some rotten tomatoes, but all faiths have them, some more than others. I'm not sure how an athiests beliefs would be detremental to society. Perhaps free thought and individuality are frowned upon?" She should hot-foot it, run, don't walk, to the nearest library and read about all the believers who were guillotined during the French Revolution by the followers of "reason." She should read about the 6,000 clergyman who were slaughtered and 3000 churches burned by atheistic loyalist side in the Spanish Civil War. She should peruse the millions of believers slaughtered by Stalin. She should glance at the hundreds of thousands of believers slaughtered by the atheists in Mexico during the various aspects of the Mexican Revolution. I haven't even touched Hitler!

I've never heard of a great war in the name of atheism. But I don't know of anyone who was saved in the name of atheism either.

At least athiests don't try to kill for their own beliefs. Sure, there are some rotten tomatoes, but all faiths have them, some more than others. I'm not sure how an athiests beliefs would be detremental to society. Perhaps free thought and individuality are frowned upon?

Atheists get a four. Politically activist atheists get a one. Evangelical atheists (attempting to convert others) get a one. Believe what you want to believe (or don't!) and be done with it. Balances out to a two because there are too many who try to convert others to their beliefs. I don't care what you believe. I don't want you to care what I believe. Get it?

Very helpful. . .no crusades or jihads are initiated in the name of people who don't want to live with your silly dogmas. . .

It can't be helpful. I don't believe it....I just don't believe it.

Like anyone else, as long as they're not cramming their beliefs down other people's throats, they're fine. There are a few that are disrespectful of other people's beliefs, but others just believe what they do and leave others alone.