I don't think the problem is so much religion, as it is stupid and selfish people inside the given religions. Any adult who follows anything just because someone else tells them to is making some crucial mistakes with their life. You have to find your own path, and you have to invest yourself in growth and knowledge within that particular path. When you find your views or concepts to be lacking or incomplete, you modify and grow and move forward.
I myself am a believer in God. I have learned over the course of time that I don't necessarily subscribe to a lot of the things that our religion teaches and even think that some of those things can be detrimental. But, I appreciate the spirit with which most of those things are put forth, and that makes a big difference to me. If someone has a good attitude and is trying to do what they think is the right thing, what else can you ask from a person? It's the morons that won't think for themselves, refuse to learn beyond what they are told, and act selfishly and from shady motives that give religion the bad name. I refuse to associate myself with people like this, even though many think that all people who seek God automatically fall into that category.
Sorry for the rant.
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