I think that many things that are blamed on religion are really the result of selfish/bad individuals calling the shots behind the scenes or people who are predisposed to do bad things using religion to make up a rationalization for what they want to do.

Like maybe if they weren't using religion as a crutch for their bad actions, then they would use something else. Anything to rationalize a selfish, bad, or crazy action, you know?

Don't get me wrong, I am not defending any particular religious sect, and I guess I am kind of a nonpracticing universalist or something myself, but the christian tradition is what most of my culture adheres to, so that's all I feel like I can speak intelligently about; lacking any significant direct exposure to anything else....

But anyway, I feel like there are a lot of positive things that religious sects do, too. There were several churches here whose members went to Haiti on their own dime after the earthquake and helped them rebuild a town. I respect that a lot more than just sending money to an aid agency (such agencies are just big business scams, with typically only 5% or so actually getting to the people who need it and the rest going to pay the organization's "administrative overhead"; I used to work for such a place before I got disgusted with how they work and left). But these churches, whether I believe in their religious philosophy or not, the fact remains that they are actually putting boots on the ground and getting positive things done.

And the church soup kitchens feed the hungry in this country far more efficiently and effectively than our government social programs, too.

The theme that seems to run through history and into the present for me is... It seems like the larger and more powerful an organized religion becomes, the more they seem to have the potential to do or sanction bad things. Maybe that whole "power corrupts" saying or something, I don't know. It just seems like the little independent protestant sects of christianity always seem to be more "good" to me than the big powerful sects (be they powerful christian sects or whatever other religion) with a strong core leadership of people who are dictating what the belief system of the sect will be, rather than the regular people members themselves deciding directly.

I am very suspect of organized religion in general. I believe that everyone should decide what they believe in for themselves rather than having it dictated to them by a (possibly corrupt) authority...

Sorry for the ramble/rant, hehe. :) I am probably not making much sense... I think my orange wine turned out to be more alcoholic than I intended...... x_X