In my experience all of this talk is anecdotal, at best.
On Symbian or Harmattan, I have had apps reload data, or webpages refresh when brought back into the foreground. I have experienced the same thing with Android.
I have never had apps close or disappear when put into the background on Symbian or Harmattan. That has never happened to me on Android either.
I have had processes continue to run after closing them on Symbian and Harmattan. The same thing has happened on Android.

Everyone uses their phones differently, and every operating system handles those needs uniquely.

FOR ME, I find that the "recently used" apps page (always one button click away), is as accurate as any other OS i have used at showing what programs are open. From this screen a simple swipe or tap closes that program.

I am NOT an Android "fan", but how it handles multitasking really isn't the issue that the "facts" point it to be. There are plenty of other MUCH better reasons to hate Android...