[Grm]

Originally Posted by cleanfun4all

First, I'm not religious at all, but it can be argued that the world would actually be a far worse place were it not for the civilizing influence of religion.

You are right about the inordinatate influence that organized religion has on it's followers, but here's the thing, God didn't create organized religion, people did. In the absence of religion based on the invisible man in the sky, it is not at all difficult for a leader to turn himself into a god of sorts and the state as the church. Think Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union under Stalin. How many millions died because of those "religions?"

All religions have a hierarchy of, surprise, surprise, men. It is all about power, power over women, power over the people. Man had to invent religion to explain his inpending death, this is the central theme of all religions. What is the most powerfull concept? Power over peoples thought.If you can control peoples thought, you have ultimate control over their actions. Luckily for the planet its not only religion that has a 'civilising influence', its mostly peoples 'good side' that keeps most of us from hurting others. Stalin was an exponent of communism, which is a sort of religion, as it seeks to control peoples thought. Both Stalin and Hitler had to break the churchs' power, so they could take it for themselves.
Humanist
Grm