You wouldn't know it from my posting, because it's rarely relevant, but I do think religion currently does serve a positive purpose. If we could extricate political and religious beliefs, I would be absolutely content with the situation.

I think church communities can be some of the most selfless, giving, hard-working people that I've ever met. Mind you, I've mostly non-denominational experience with churches here in Canada. Certainly I don't mean to imply that to be religious is to exhibit the things I find abhorrent about religion.

I guess the biggest problem with religion is that it gives people common cause to join in each others' hatred and oppression. Often it's subtle, other times not so subtle. Sure, it's literal truth to bring up the crusades as an example of religious warfare, but the problem is deeper than that. It's the subtle oppression that still cuts us deep. Voting away the rights of others. Supporting evil regimes in the name of His Holiness The Pope, a man who personally covered up child molestation cases. I just don't see how homophobia and church-based pedophilia could exist without religion to provide convenient excuses and convenient reassignment.