Srinagar, March 9 -- Dickson begins his talk with an interesting metaphor about religion attributed to the Hindu mystic Ramakrishna. Ramakrishna had said that religion is like a cow: it can kick, but it also gives milk. The purpose of this analogy is to show that religion can sometimes play a harmful role in human societies, while at other times it can be a source of moral and spiritual good. History offers many instances where religious fervor led to wars and conflicts, but it also contains great moral and spiritual movements that guided humanity toward justice, service, and love.Sam Harris is unwilling to acknowledge this balance. In his view, the "kicks" of religion-its harmful aspects-have become so dangerous in the modern era that it...