Why do those atheists who consider Abrahamic religions to be bad for society, not move to societies not dominated and defined by these religions? I had a very interesting and heated conversation with an Indian atheist last week. He kept telling me that Abrahamic religions are bad and polytheism is more tolerant. This guy moved from India to the US. Why?
There are many factors that shape a society and religion is only one of them. Even though Abrahamism is a bad influence, that doesn't mean a society can't transcend it and become good anyway. Just as without Abrahamism, a society can still manage to be bad.
Many people who migrate to America are very displeased by some or many aspects of our culture. But despite those drawbacks, on the balance they think they'll have better lives than the ones they left behind.
India has its drawbacks that many of your people come here to escape. One of the things they talk about is the ubiquitous poverty. Unless you are one of the super-privileged, you're going to see lots of desperately poor people every day. Paradoxically the people who are kind-hearted and sympathetic are the ones who become the most depressed, because they can't help them all.
I run into a beggar occasionally in Washington, or someone who's just down on their luck because of the economy, or someone who is really a little daft and isn't getting along too well. I give them some money, knowing that I'm one of several and they'll get a good meal and a safe place to sleep.
But when I was in Mexico, I was overwhelmed by the vast seas of desperately poor people. Anywhere I pointed my eyes there were dozens of them, hundreds of them sometimes. They made me feel guilty about having a wristwatch and nice shoes and a car, and my wife had a wedding ring (which she had left at home). But we could have sold all of those things and come back with the money, and it wouldn't have made a dent in the poverty.
You feel so overwhelmed and hopeless, that no matter how dedicated you are to solving the problem, you and everyone you know acting together can't solve it. You're not helping anyone by feeling that way, and depression is bad for your own health, not to mention for your ability to make a living so you can donate some of it to the poor.
I have no idea if that was one of your friend's reasons for leaving India. But I know it's one of the reasons I will never be able to live in Mexico, much as I love the place and the people. I would always be sad.
