As OP I agree that government has no business getting involved in these debates. But don’t you think insulting and ridiculing religious people, including those who agree with you on the general issue, is a bit much? You’re not really helping your cause by alienating those folks.
Is that an insult? And I don't think I'm ridiculing anyone that agrees with me on the general issue.
I didn't invent the concept of god being all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-benevolent. That's my genuine, good-faith understanding of what people believe.
I'm also not mocking it. I disagree with it, but I'm taking it seriously, arguing with the assumption that people believe what they tell me they believe.
It's wild that religious people can say "You condone murder, and will be tortured for eternity for your beliefs" and that's just business as usual, but if I say "That's a bit silly, I would expect the god you tell me you believe in to be more forgiving and understanding" all of a sudden I'm being too mean.
It feels like there's no way to say "I simply don't believe that, and the evidence points to you being incorrect" that's polite enough for religious people, but they can say whatever they want to non-believers and it's ok because it's just what they believe.
As OP I agree that government has no business getting involved in these debates. But don’t you think insulting and ridiculing religious people, including those who agree with you on the general issue, is a bit much? You’re not really helping your cause by alienating those folks.