Robert's Stochastic thoughts: Mark Kleiman correctly notes that P.Z. Myers misunderstood his earlier critique of Myers....
On one crucial point [Myers] misreads my argument. I didn't say that most believers are self-aware of the metaphorical/mystical nature of the beliefs embodied in the traditions they follow; I haven't done the appropriate study, and it would be a hard study to do. But the fact (if it is a fact in this case) that most of the people who believe some idea believe a trivial or vicious version of it doesn't show that the idea, properly understood, is false, let alone that it is stupid and worthless.
The key point is that Kleiman wrote only about "adult" understanding of religion and declared most people to be non "adult". Thus he certainly shares Myers' contempt for most Americans[' religions], an odd position to take in a post accusing someone else of [anti-religious] bigotry...
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