Why do Atheists believe that religion keeps people in Dark AGES?

You do know it is religion that started the dark ages and delayed the renaissance right? They only even brought back art forms to brainwash the masses of uneducated people religion, and when they realized they could allow non religious art without losing control that is when the renaissance happened.

It's not all about proving God doesn't exist or being "blind to what is true"; we are here today because we have evolved from almost nothing over a very long time on a planet that has been here far, far longer. The conditions were right, our planet's orbit around the sun keeps it warm enough to sustain water, hence life is possible. As a diverse human being I do not believe in much of what is taught in many religions.

A Christian will say Jesus and Christianity is the only salvation, why? Why shouldn't any other religion be "correct"? It's the same God all believers worldwide have faith in.

Christianity is one of the more ridiculous religions because Christians live by a book that was written years ago! How can you say that these men and woman who made the Bible what it is have a higher intelligence than us, who live in a world far more advanced in every way.

We are making discoveries nobody would have thought possible all those years ago, while some of us choose to go by the words of a man who could simply have had a bad case of sunstroke in the heated dessert when he thought he spoke to "God"?

Because of that first person who stopped and realized that Religion was bunk, we would have not went any further than burning people at the stake for having an idea! Think about what may have happened if people were not burned at the stake in the first place? Medicine may have cured the plagues that killed millions, or maybe we would have flown before the 1800"s. If not for religion we may have already today be living on other worlds? Who knows what may have happened if that first person did not finally show religion for what it really is? A Hoax! If religion would have had it's way we would still be in the Dark, "literally"! Really? Do your homework! I always say, there is no such thing as a stupid question? But, "not trying to be rude" but, This question lacks Intelligence! I am only saying do some research, because you obviously did not! If so this question would had never been asked?

Your question makes no sense.

Which Atheists deny that the Renaissance era led to scientific method and inquiry? I am not aware of any.

You realize the Renaissance was AFTER the Dark Ages, right? Critical thinking skills led to many advances, but also challenged the power of the Catholic church which eventually led Protestants to break away. Over the last few centuries we have made tremendous strides technologically and spiritually. People are allowed to believe or not believe as they choose with all enjoying the conveniences of modern technology.

Religion does keep people in the dark ages. We rely on science to help us advance as a species. Religion follows teachings from the bronze age and people actually believe it and go by its rules and waste there lives denying evolution and science and keep there heads in a book that was written by MEN a few thousand years ago. We do not deny the renaissance or golden age.

The dark ages were specifically started by Christians. There was a pogrom (massive program against) those they believed to be witches (probably a lot of land grab as well). Since witches were "known" to have familiars (spirit friends in animal form) people got rid of their cats so they wouldn't be accused of witchcraft. With the cats gone, the rats and their fleas took over spreading what would have been isolated pockets of bubonic plague (black death). It circled the known world three times killing millions. By the time the population stabilized, knowledge,such as the library of Alexandria,was lost and much of what remained could not be used, such as herbal lore for fear of renewing the witch hunts.

Religion DOES hold progress back and increases suffering, especially in poorer countries, look at Religious views on contraception and abortion. Look at how Dog collars fight against stem cell research, without religion we'd be FAR more advanced, there would be alot less famine and war and more cure's for evil diseases.

Religion has ALOT to answer for.

I guess because of the number of religious people who come on here pushing for the end of science. For instance, there are constant attacks on the scientific method, and many people come on here arguing that you should never believe anything you see in journals or textbooks, only experiments and theory you work out for yourself. So that would pretty much end the sharing of human knowledge that brought us out of the Dark Ages.

In fact, it would pretty much take us back to pre-agriculture and pre-fire.

It became 1000 years the position no technology advanced in the western international. China, Byzantines, and Japan had rather any clinical achievements (besides the actual undeniable actuality that they did have practise and economic breakthroughs), and the Islamic "Gunpowder" Empires were named that because they in straightforward words positioned clinical pastime into defense force. (They were in the later center a even as to rather those days, earlier them were nomadic, uneducated, and non resourceful Arabs and Mongols) What have you ever been smoking to make you safeguard an complete millennia of NO clinical progression?!?!?! @Obnoxious Cole fan you observe, the darkish a even as (as yet another remark protecting you pronounced) were led to via Rome's crumple. It despatched Europe right into a downward spiral. yet, rather of compensating via engaged on team spirit of their section (rather of the sects and city-states), they grew to grow to be to faith. faith itself became no longer the priority, I provide you with that. The papacy became. The church became corrupted and in straightforward words concentrated on benefit for themselves. with the aid of this, Europe became thrust into the aforementioned downward spiral. the biggest factor i'll make the following, even with the indisputable fact that, is that you're lifeless incorrect once you used the word "backslid ever so rather". It became no longer mild. no matter if you deny Christianity's position in it, purely admit that the middle a even as were a shame. people purely left each thing the Romans had discovered in the the dirt and did not even attempt to help themselves. they purely lived as peasants or nobles. no longer some thing else. No center classification and no scientists. No classification mobility. It became a lifeless time even as no one replaced some thing for the better.

Oh my goodness, what an odd view of history you have.

Religion stifles enquiry into the natural world.

Once you say of a phenomenon "God did it", you stop looking for the REAL cause.