I'll have to keep this short for now, just cause I'm on break.

First, I'd like to say that I've seen better articles written on this subject in the past. I kind of wished I had saved them, because they're often more thoughtful, in depth, analytical, etc. If I ever come across any of them again, I'll have to share them on here.

That said, I kind of want to add two quick thoughts to his main points. First, in addition to the idea that a lot of people saw a lack of virtuous behavior in people who were religious, there was probably a simultaneous realization that you don't necessarily need to be religious to be virtuous. What's really needed, religious or not, is the desire to do good and the ability to analyze your beliefs and actions and whether or not they're helping or hindering your desire to do good.

Secondly, on the concepts of dogmas, miracles, and spiritual metaphysics in general. I think that it takes a lot of courage to look at what you believe, consider that it might be silly, and start to question what you believe, why you believe it, and what it means to you. More importantly though, and I really wish more people would be willing to talk about this, it's that it takes an equal bravery and also a great deal of humility to look at people who have a vastly different belief system than yours (Native American Religions, Hinduism, Shinto, and many, many, others) and realize that people who embrace those belief sytems, both currently as well as in the past, have emotional and spiritual connection to those systems that run deep, strong, and in short are very profound. Recognizing that connection and accepting it goes beyond recognizing their beliefs, it's honestly recognizing a core part of their humanity as individuals as well as members of a religious system.