Does religion do more harm than good?

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Most religions teach gospels of peace and love.  Many religious people do wonderful charity work.  Religion can bring joy and comfort.  Abolitionism, the Civil Rights movement, and anti-war activism were all aided by religious leaders (e.g., MLK).

But religion is often misused to justify bigotry and violence.
Religious texts (e.g., the Old Testament and the Koran) contain passages celebrating war and endorsing violence towards non-believers. Furthermore, religious teachings often promote superstition and fanaticism.

Fundamentalist religion in America empowered destructive conservatism. Islamic fundamentalism has led to repressive regimes and to terrorism. Orthodox Judaism in Israel encouraged mistreatment of Palestinians.

Does religion do more harm than good?

Authors Website: http://waliberals.org

Authors Bio:

Democratic Precinct Committee Officer, activist, writer, and programmer. My op-ed pieces have appeared in the Seattle Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and elsewhere. See http://WALiberals.org and http://ProgressiveMemes.org for my writing, meme images, musical creations, and animations.