Many illnesses are diagnosed only by their symptoms. There are, as yet, no clinical tests for conditions such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. From the standpoint of the “faithful” perhaps religion is not an illness, if only because the victims fail to recognise that there is anything wrong with their thought processes. (A similar situation occurs with other mental illnesses.)

However, as a hard line atheist I choose to regard those with religion as ill or diseased. This allows me to have compassion for them whilst having a complete contempt for their affliction. I find it easier to reconcile the fact that so many people I might otherwise respect, some scientists for example, uphold some risible supernatural beliefs. A disease can afflict the clever, the stupid, the old, the young, the ugly and the beautiful.

Like a disease, religion has to be tolerated, or managed, because we do not know how to eradicate it. At the same time we have a moral duty to prevent the infected from spreading it to other people.

I was lately brought to task by a Christian who objected to my assertion that Hitler believed in the Christian god and genuinely believed he was acting in the true traditions of this religion. My critic claimed that Mr H was only pretending to be a Christian to fool other Christians into agreeing with him. If this was the case it was a very successful tactic which raises serious questions regarding the gullibility and steadfastness of the faithful. I do not think that it is the case that Hitler was engaging in a deliberate ruse but it does raise the possibility that others may be acting in a similar manner.

In a society where unselfishness is in many ways rewarded, perhaps with status or other forms of peer respect which, in turn leads to an easier living, it might profit someone to use the guise of altruism as a vehicle for completely selfish behaviour. Such an individual might affect a masquerade, adopting certain “beliefs”, gestures, modes of dress or symbols to fool other members of the group. It might even arise that an organisation, existing entirely for its own purposes, will flourish if it adopts the trapping of a benevolent establishment.

I am reminded of species of hover fly which closely resemble wasps. Under certain conditions these far outnumber actual wasps. Sometimes, in the region where I live, there are vast plagues of waspy hover flies with not a single genuine wasp to be found anywhere. What is more, the fly does not know it resembles a wasp; it does not know it is cheating. Stingyness is a concept beyond the understanding of the hover fly. It thrives because it is good at fooling birds into thinking it is a wasp without understanding the notion of bird or wasp.

Under the present political climate where religion is encouraged and gains so much privilege, simulated altruists can thrive. Any individual, overtly displaying their altruistic status may be bogus. The more noticeable the display the more likely it is a masquerade. A dog collar, a pointy hat or a cross worn openly are sure signs. Beware of the fish sign on the car boot or phrases such as “As a Christian….” The use of familial terms such as “brother”, “sister”, “mother” or “father” are used as a subtle ruse to get by your defences.

Even those who find this idea too cynical will agree that it is possible that at least a few people are succeeding in duping the more credulous amongst us with this deception. However, I maintain that the simulated altruist is very common and makes up the majority.

I further observe that the established churches are a repository for vast hoards of simulated altruists, leeching off the taxpayer and gullible hosts, some acting innocently from within the organisations themselves.

To protect ourselves we need to recognise them, name them and reveal their hypocrisy.

"When believers pick up Richard Dawkins or Christopher Hitchens, we may feel as we turn the pages: 'This is not it. Whatever the religion being attacked here, it's not actually what I believe in,'" the archbishop said.

Williams would have us believe that since the 19^th century some great revelation has occurred and that our view of religion has somehow matured into something only real Christians can understand. As if some new messiah has come to tell them that they had it all wrong for 1800 years or that modern theologians are much cleverer so that using the same old bible they suddenly became better informed about god.

I have had 11 years of theology in the form of religious assemblies, daily prayers, bible readings, church, chapel and Sunday school. I have suffered the inane ranting of scores of Christians. I know what they believed because they kept telling me over and over. They told me that a man really did die and came back to life; that a virgin gave birth and that if you pray it makes a real difference because there is a magic sky pixie that is everywhere and listens to everything.

Is Williams trying to say that this is not modern Christianity; that modern Christians do not believe in these risible fairy tales. If this is what he claims he needs to listen more to the superstitious pap fed to our infants in the majority of Britain’s religious primary schools.

But this may be a good sign for the rationalist cause. It may indicate that, by small increments, we are winning the argument. Leading Christians do not have the humility to admit they are wrong so instead they change their ground, claiming that they meant to say something sensible all along. How silly of us to misunderstand.

Can this be an indication that we are making more inroads than theists are prepared to admit. In the long term we may still have to deal with organised religion but if we keep up the pressure it may, lie by ridiculous lie, have to abandon its most absurd claims.

The following was recently posted by one of the UK Brights -

"Let us have the wisdom to accept that if our ancestors had fared differently in wars our communities would be holding different absurdities up as sacred truths, and the willingness to accept those absurdities would be seen as the badge of social trustworthiness oreven the right to be allowed to draw breath.

Let us accept that the difference between a prophet and a madman is
not what they say but whether the crowd accepts the story and tells
their children to believe it.

Let us have the courage to accept that wanting to believe in something
with every fibre of our being does not and cannot make it true.

Truth needs no help, no believers, no bowed heads and no amens."

There can be no doubt that Hitler believed in a Christian god and regarded himself as a Christian.

The following quotes are translations from Hitler's speeches - I make no apologies for pilfering them from the following excellent source: http://www.atheism.about.com/religion/atheism/library/quotes/bl_q_AHitler.htm where you will find 60 quotes.

"I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so"
[Adolph Hitler, to Gen. Gerhard Engel, 1941]

"I believe today that I am acting in the sense of the Almighty Creator. By warding off the Jews I am fighting for the Lord's work".
[Adolph Hitler, Speech, Reichstag, 1936]

"I believe today that my conduct is in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator." [Adolph Hitler, Mein Kampf, pp. 46]

"Secular schools can never be tolerated because such schools have no religious instruction, and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith . . . we need believing people."
[Adolf Hitler, April 26, 1933, from a speech made during negotiations leading to the Nazi-Vatican Concordant of 1933]

"Even today I am not ashamed to say that, overpowered by stormy enthusiasm, I fell down on my knees and thanked Heaven from an overflowing heart for granting me the good fortune of being permitted to live at this time."
[Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, Vol. 1, Chapter 5]

"My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter."
[Adolf Hitler, speech on April 12, 1922, published in My New Order, quoted in Freethought Today April 1990]

"What we have to fight for...is the freedom and independence of the fatherland, so that our people may be enabled to fulfill the mission assigned to it by the Creator."
[Adolph Hitler, Mein Kampf, pp. 125]

"This human world of ours would be inconceivable without the practical existence of a religious belief."
[Adolph Hitler, Mein Kampf, pp.152]

"And the founder of Christianity. made no secret indeed of his estimation of the Jewish people. When He found it necessary, He drove those enemies of the human race out of the Temple of God."
[Adolph Hitler, Mein Kampf, pp.174]

"I had excellent opportunity to intoxicate myself with the solemn splendor of the brilliant church festivals. As was only natural, the abbot seemed to me, as the village priest had once seemed to my father, the highest and most desirable ideal."
[Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, Vol. 1, Chapter 1]

"Anyone who dares to lay hands on the highest image of the Lord commits sacrilege against the benevolent creator of this miracle and contributes to the expulsion from paradise."
[Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Vol. 2 Chapter 1]

"Today Christians ... stand at the head of [this country]... I pledge that I never will tie myself to parties who want to destroy Christianity. .. We want to fill our culture again with the Christian spirit ... We want to burn out all the recent immoral developments in literature, in the theater, and in the press - in short, we want to burn out the poison of immorality which has entered into our whole life and culture as a result of liberal excess during the past ... (few) years."
[The Speeches of Adolph Hitler, 1922-1939, Vol. 1 (London, Oxford University Press, 1942), pg. 871-872]

Secular schools can never be tolerated because such schools have no religious instruction, and a general moral instruction without a religious foundation is built on air; consequently, all character training and religion must be derived from faith . . . we need believing people. [Adolf Hitler, April 26, 1933, from a speech made during negotiations leading to the Nazi-Vatican Concordant of 1933]

The religious can be divided into two categories; victims and perpetrators.

Most believers are victims. They cannot help themselves and continue to cling to irrational ideas and behaviour they learnt when they were young. It is pointless to try to reason with these people. They cannot change despite a complete lack of evidence for their beliefs. They are easily led and will accept the most absurd ideas promulgated by the institutions or individuals they see as higher in their religious hierarchy. When confronted by a religious individual the enlightened observer should show compassion just as one should when faced with someone displaying the symptoms of a conventional illness.

However, just as with a conventional illness, we have a duty to prevent the spread of the disorder. Hence we have a right to insist that religious practices take place in private, away from our own children. Hence, the move in the UK toward more faith schools is immoral. It is our duty to resist the indoctrination of future generations.

Perpetrators are people who like to “spread the word”; religious teachers, church officials and other members of a religious hierarchy. There are clear secular reasons for their actions. They suffer from the same needs as the rest of us. They want to feel important. We all want to find a pecking order to climb. Even the simple minded evangelist who tries to bring you the “good news” on your doorstep wants to persuade you that he knows something that you do not. If he can draw you in then he is nearer the top than you. He got the message first.

The preacher with a congregation has surely found heaven on earth. He stands in a special place, everyone listens. He might even be allowed to wear special clothes or, joy of joys, a silly hat.

Perpetrators may also be victims. Most religious practitioners do believe in the supernatural but some do not – they are in it for the money and power.
There is little point in discussing their ridiculous beliefs. They did not arrive at them through rational thought and no amount of argument will change their minds.

Whether they are justified or not is not the point – remember, they want to feel important. All you need to do is show a complete lack of deference.

If everyone around you is reverent it is very difficult for an individual to step out of line and show contempt. It would be easy to appear to be rude or disrespectful of the others in the audience.
As an enlightened observer you know that it is not a god that is slighted but the man in the silly hat. However, by remaining acquiescent you will appear to indicate an acceptance of this person’s elevated position and special knowledge. As an enlightened observer you need to find an acceptable way of showing your disdain.

If it is a public gathering all you need do is pointedly leave. Do it during a critical moment and be very apologetic. The more fuss you can make apologising the better.
In other circumstances you need to make your feelings known directly. Merely tell them that you find their actions unacceptable and that you would prefer them to continue in private because you would not like your children to witness these acts.
Above all, be confident, smile, be courteous, and be gracious.