RE: "...religious believe they some how have the monopoly on benevolence...".
-Not so-they believe God has that monopoly, - man's benevolence, ethics,& even love are arbitrary & capricious. Morals didn't evolve, nor develop, they were revealed. Where does the conscience [which everyone has]...
"recognize morality when it happens without explicit religious trappings."
- How does one do that? Where does one get their definition of morality? Doesn't history show that morals weren't invented by humans?
"religious believers believe they have the monopoly on being the only people who can...
In order to determine whether something is part of reality, [knowing what is true], one must know what truth is. To do that, one must believe there is a truth that one can know.
God DID NOT create an "imperfect world" - He created a PERFECT world - only mankind damaged it by breaking the only rule, not on their own, they had a lot of help from satan - so blame him, not god. Anyone who's had kids knows they have free will. Besides, nature's perfection is evident all...
"Depends on your concept of love. __________________
"Perhaps you were expecting some surprise, for me to reveal a secret that had eluded you, something that would change your perspective of events, shatter you to your core. There is no great revelation, no...
Design implies a designer. God doesn't use "magic".
"How is that so amazing?" Create means bring into existence - from NOTHING. You've never done that - you can't.
"all this is no big deal" Trivializing what God has done doesn't make you bigger nor wiser.
You "have a much greater...
THEY DON'T HAVE A "MONOPOLY on being the only people who can be kind and benevolent to others." Why does this bother you? Do they have something you don't?
The ultimate was & is Jesus! "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes shall not perish...
Surely the world we see around us proves behind all doubt whatsoever that there is a devil [remember?].
Do your problems & mistakes prove you didn't have loving parents?
Seems like you're mad at God for not existing.