As a student of history I am just not interested in ‘what if’ scenarios. The Abrahamic religions simply would not even exist if their god did not insist on faith. Belief is an integral part of any religion. Just thinking a god exists is the basic expression of a faith.
Yes, as an atheist, I agree faith is useless and further, not even a virtue, but for religions it’s an absolute must. The christian bible is full of demands for faith. It is an issue that affects christians at every point of their involvement with the religion: from the new convert deciding to make a commitment to that faith; to the worshipper seeking to express that faith (they even spent centuries preparing set prayers to ask god to deepen that faith, whatever that means) and to the backslider struggling with the final release from it.
My original point was they waste time meddling with fact and evidence and you tube trying to convince anyone that god exists, because they do not even seem to understand the basis of what faith is.
To be forgiven by any god you first have to have faith that god exists.

Diotrephes, first off, I do NOT believe in other people's religions, but are you suggesting I must not study debate or consider them?

I understand that, for you, no religion is worthy of discussion. For you as you've everyone who has belief is a deluded crazy person, and you are willing to discount them and their crazy ideas. That's ok, but I seen no value in just demeaning or insulting from the sidelines. Religious people just get more defensive about their beliefs when attacked or abused, so what the fuck does that achieve? You only strengthen their beliefs, great win for atheism.

Have you ever argued for science with a creationist who didn't understand the scientific method? Damn frustrating.
Have you ever disputed religion with a believer who tossed bible verses at you as if they were proof positive arguments. You can make a lot of progress when you are familiar with those verses and you treat people with respecct. I also read histories about how the bible was written and put together which should be evidence alone that it has been written by men.

Something you don't know about me. My previously agnostic brother freaked out once and took his wife and kids into the folds of a brethren cult, one of those manipulative mind fuck organisations that control tribes of families under quasi Mosaic regulation. I argued with him, his wife and then members of his group til I they realised I was too sane to convert. I still fight that fight to get my brother back. Its damn hard and I am behind fortified enemy lines. You don't know crazy deluded like I do. These cults are the worst expression of religion and epitomise Jesus' demand to hate your family, your real family.

I have lost my brother. And I have learned honey works better than vinegar. You and others misunderstand my interest in the bible and other peoples beliefs. I don't believe any of it but I use it to try to persuade believers by using their bible against them. We all know its badly written and despite all the false editing, there's a lot of contradictions and patently false information in it.

I would rather the world was without religion, but its never going to happen. You ever been to a third world nation where 90+% live around the poverty level? Most of the old Spanish colonies are like that and the poor have been subjected to the Catholic indoctrination and they cling desperately fanatically to the sweet lies because that's all they have and ever will have. Try telling them they are all crazy deluded idiots. Every time I even touched on the bible not being the word of god I was treated as if I was insane.

I lost my brother and I cant save the world, but rather than just yell at clouds and tell religious folks they're crazy I keep them engaged and try to keep them to account. Over time my brother and his mates toss fewer and fewer bible verses at me and then only with extreme caution. And as a booklover and hobby history student I cant avoid the affects of religion on language and world events. Religion is more than churches, books and crazed delusionists its all around you and even in the words you use.

And here's something you might not know Dio, while Moses was indeed a thug, he never existed. He and the whole Exodus saga were made up. Jewish theologists and archaeologists declared it all a fiction after years of exploration and research, that includes all of Joshua too and yet Mosaic law is the basis of Judaism. How is that for crazy?

I expect in decades to come there will be a church for Potterainists, but I am ready for them now. Read.