[Secular Student Union] Should religion be an opiate for the masses?

[Xianhang Zhang]

Time: Tuesday, 4pm - 6pm
Location: HUB 309
Topic: Should religion be an opiate for the masses
Facebook: http://washington.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10549185627
Web:
http://students.washington.edu/secular/2008/02/24/feb-26th-should-religion-b
e-an-opiate-for-the-masses/

"I'm an atheist, but people need religion. What are you going to put in its
place? How are you going to comfort the bereaved? How are you going to fill
the need?" is an argument Richard Dawkins commonly gets. His response to
this argument is detailed here:
http://richarddawkins.net/article,318,Im-an-atheist-BUT-,Richard-Dawkins
Is religion helpful even if it were not true? Do people need it to stay
moral or have purpose in their lives and should atheists be trying to
convert people away from religion if it provides obvious benefits to a
person's life?

Cheers
Hang