so a gun and a fundamentalist go into a bar,...

a couple of days ago it finally occurred to me why guns enthusiasts are usually enthusiastic about religion as well. because in the end they serve the same purpose.

let's go down the list and see what we can see, shall we?

hostile environment
GUN:
provide a sense of relief from harm and a way to defend oneself in a hostile environment

RELIGION:
provide a sense of relief from harm and a way to defend oneself in a hostile environment

distance
GUN:
allows a user to distance themselves from the actual act of taking life or harming another human being
RELIGION:
allows a user to distance themselves from the actual act of taking life or harming another human being by claiming a force bigger than myself compelled me to action.

entitlement
GUN:
using a weapon may give you the temporary sense that you are in control and therefore your demands will be met because the alternative is a horrible fate

RELIGION:
using religion as a means of control through fear of the alternative, a horrible fate.

on its own
GUN:
an amazing technological advancement

RELIGION:
an amazing conditioning advancement

i may be wrong,...but this sounds right.