The idea of god and the teachings of religion are superstitious and show discrimination and cruelty

In your opening paragraph you say that I should represent all of religion, not just one part. Apart from the fact that a lot of teachings in different religious texts are remarkably similar I was merely highlighting one example of a religion where we see immoral teachings at work. My aim of my argument is not to pick out every flaw in every different religion, but more to highlight and flow over different areas related to the argument. Of course giving examples is important, I did that and then I moved on. My argument does not require an example from every religion as it will no doubt crossover. Christianity is a religion so therefore I deduced that Religion can be a basis for immorality. I would also like to mention that the title states "the teaching of religion" rather than "the acts which people may carry out because of religion". This means that I am only obliged to try to prove that the teaching of religion shows the immoral and unjust nature in which I talk about. Acts that people carry out is a slightly different topic but if you want me to speak on that then by all means I will. Now, "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. 27, And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple". You say that this is a metaphor and that God is "requesting our love" yet who decided this? This passage in itself is a very blunt message and cannot be taken any other way unless what?, someone came along, read this passage and then said "Oh what an awful thing for God to say, why don't I try to sugar coat it and claim that it's a cheerful metaphor instead. That way it'll help make the bible look perfect". I am just asking you who came up with the notion that it is a metaphor? It would of had to have been man who came up with it. In order to try and cover up the actual blunt, immoral message or whether they generally believed that it is a metaphor and that God is just requesting our love then I don't know but it would of had to have been man's take on it which has stuck and been passed through generations because it sounds sweeter. "If a man practices homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman, both men have committed a detestable act. They must both be put to death, for they are guilty of a capital offense." You say that it was a temporary passage and that we are in a more accepting age now. Is the bible not the word of God? If so then surely that's god saying that they must be put to death. Unless God's word is temporary and that he too learned over time like the rest of us? There's no doubt that we are in a more acceptable age but that doesn't change the fact that this awful verse in written in the bible, the text of your religion. You can't say that "oh we don't follow that view anymore because we didn't know any better back then and we do now". You can't pick and choose the bits of the bible that you want to follow and forget about the rest. Surely it was meant to be all relevant or it wouldn't be in there. I am assuming you are a Christian as you attended church and your Dad told you about bible passages; and you most likely would have said otherwise if you weren't. I know homosexuals are people like everyone else and I am thrilled you believe in such equality but if God says it's wrong and that they should be punished then why don't you feel the same way? Is that not turning your back on something that God says? I don't mean to attack you or doubt your sincerity here but why should Christians only follow the happy parts of the bible? I know it's in no way to do with Christianity that some priests do those awful things and no I can't and I don't judge the whole religion for that but I can judge the teachings of the religion that would allow a priest to walk away Scot-free from such an act but can condemn homosexuals. I don't believe that both creation and evolution could have occurred. If you mean it in the sense that God created the tiniest of micro-organisms and then evolution occurred normally then why wouldn't God just be in control of evolution? You believe in evolution because you have to, it's a scientific fact. However the bible doesn't say anything about evolution. Yes floods occur but how many different species of animals do you think there are in the world? To think that two of every species of animal fit in one ark is nonsense. This proves that religion is slowly receding due to scientific knowledge. Your right the idea of a god making rain etc. doesn't show discrimination and cruelty in religion but it shows that religion has no leg to stand on when it comes to what we already know to be true. Which one could then deduce that if religion is wrong on all of that, then why am I to believe that such teachings as the ones I have mentioned should be listened to. And this is apart from the fact that they are just plain discriminative, immoral and cruel. I do not think that all religious people are creationist freaks, that would be a totally unfair generalization. I am just saying that over the years religion has started to accept scientific truth that is opposed in their sacred texts so it may only be a matter of time before they realise that half of their text has been ridiculed. I say "may" as I have no idea if science will cause more religions to accept more truth or not over the years. No creationism isn't my main argument but I've showed that it's relevant in what I've been trying to get across. And lastly, -Joshua 10:12-14 "It was then that Joshua proceeded to speak to Jehovah on the day of Jehovah"s abandoning the Amorites to the sons of Israel, and he went on to say before the eyes of Israel: 'Sun, be motionless over Gibeon, and, moon, over the low plain of Aijalon.' Accordingly the sun kept motionless, and the moon did stand still, until the nation could take vengeance on its enemies. Is it not written in the book of Jashar? And the sun kept standing still in the middle of the heavens and did not hasten to set for about a whole day.