Obligatory atheist response the the "Islam versus Christianity" pissing contest - take one!
/cue Steve Pavlina
If you devote serious time to the practice of either Christianity or Islam, then you're flushing much of your precious life down the drain with little or nothing to show for it. First, you’ll waste a lot of time filling your head with useless nonsense. This includes reading some of the worst fiction ever written. Then there are various rules, laws, and practices to learn - all of which seek to keep you from doing fun things or living peacefully with folks who don't live their lives the same way you do. And then there are the actual stories. Seriously, if you have insomnia, try reading religious texts before bedtime. You’ll be asleep faster than you can say Mohammed. Why do you think hotels put Bibles next to the bed? It’s the greatest sedative known to man.
I have to give props to the Scientologists for at least incorporating space aliens into their stories. It’s a shame Gene Roddenberry didn’t formally invent his own religion; the Klingon afterlife sounds like a lot of fun.
In addition to being a serious waste of time, religious practice can also be a huge waste of money. For starters, when you donate to a major religion, you support its expansion, which means you’re facilitating the enslavement of your fellow humans. That isn’t very nice, now is it? If you feel the urge to donate money, give it to a real and honorable cause, not a fabricated one. Better yet, go outside and do something that really helps people. If you can’t think of anything better, grab a can of paint and clean up some local graffiti.
Your religious donations fund freeloaders who mooch off society but who generally provide little or no value in return. Sure there are some religious people who perform valuable public services, but for the most part, it's all about gettin' more sheep. In addition, these freeloaders typically operate tax-free, meaning they’re effectively subsidized by taxpayers. That’s a great racket if you’re on the receiving side - not so great if you’re funding it, though.
Religions frequently promote inbred social networks. You’re encouraged to spend more time with people who share the same belief system while disengaging from those with incompatible beliefs. Sometimes this is done subtly; other times it’s more obvious.
If you’re one of the saved, blessed, or otherwise enlightened individuals who stumbled upon the one true belief system, then supposedly everyone else remains in the dark. Certain religions are overtly intolerant of outsiders, but to one degree or another, all major religions cast non-subscribers in a negative light. This helps to discourage members from abandoning the religion while still enabling them to proselytize. The main idea is to maintain social structures that reward loyalty and punish freedom of thought.
This us-versus-them prejudice is totally incongruent with conscious living. It’s also downright moronic from a global perspective. But it remains a favored practice of those who pull the strings. When you’re taught to distrust other human beings, fear gets a foothold in your consciousness, and you become much easier to control.
When you join a religion, your fellow mind-slaves will help to keep you in line, socially rewarding your continued obedience while punishing your disloyalty. Why do they do this? It’s what they’ve been conditioned to do. Tell your religious friends that you’re abandoning their religion because you want to think for yourself for a while, and watch the sparks fly. Suddenly you’ve gone from best friend to evil demon. There’s no greater threat to religious people than to profess your desire to think for yourself.
There are better ways to enjoy a sense of community than joining a slavery club. Try making friends with conscious, free-thinking people for a change - people who are willing to connect with you regardless of how silly your beliefs are. You may find it intimidating at first, but it’s quite refreshing once you get used to it.
However, there is a bright side to being an acolyte to Christianity or Islam. By picking a mythology, you get to participate in the various "Christianity versus Islam" debates that spring up all over the interwebz. You won't solve a thing, but you'll get loads of satisfaction from tearing down their stupid belief system while simulataneously defending your own stupid belief system. Bonus points if you pick some line out of each other's holy guidebooks for the braindead and use it to show why their mythology sucks, and your mythology is like wiping your arse with French silk.
Edited to comply with Fair-Use