Beyond Belief sets up a false division between so called 'faith' and so called 'science'.
As a graduate scientist and a Christian just two points
about Beyond Belief,
Religion is usually not unreasonable. All Science is founded on philosophical assumptions, useful beliefs that can't be proved. These assumptions are not obvious either, they're accepted only because they seem to work. Oddly enough, it took late medieval Europe and the Renaissance to get the scientific project off the ground, a period in which the philosophical framework was religious, Christian to be precise. (Check it out, lots of Maths, Astronomy and Philosophy, but now modern science up till then.) By the way, the 'Enlighte...

Beyond Belief sets up a false division between so called 'faith' and so called 'science'.
As a graduate scientist and a Christian just two points
about Beyond Belief,
Religion is usually not unreasonable. All Science is founded on philosophical assumptions, useful beliefs that can't be proved. These assumptions are not obvious either, they're accepted only because they seem to work. Oddly enough, it took late medieval Europe and the Renaissance to get the scientific project off the ground, a period in which the philosophical framework was religious, Christian to be precise. (Check it out, lots of Maths, Astronomy and Philosophy, but now modern science up till then.) By the way, the 'Enlightenment project' tended to be accompanied by 'pantheistic' beliefs, check the Eighteenth Century Poets. This shares much with the New Age movement, and prides itself in being non-rational. If the 'Enlightenment' were so satisfactory, why the extra luggage?

Secondly, without arguing about names and labels, many religions, including the first three centuries of Christianity, have suffered from violent 'fundamentalists' attacking them. Check the New Testament on how angry or power hungry people of any label will attack visionaries. It's interesting to note that Paul was telling his followers to avoid superstition 1,500 years before the Enlightenment, and to love their rational Roman enemies who were crucifying them, as well as getting mobbed by rioting idol worshippers while he expressed his opinions.
It's nice to know no one can stone you on Clipmarks!