The beneficial aspects of organised religion are overshadowed by the abuses they enable. It continues to segregate based on race, sex, culture, sexual orientat

The beneficial aspects of organised religion are overshadowed by the abuses they enable. It continues to segregate based on race, sex, culture, sexual orientation, not to forget other religions. It restricted knowledge to those deemed acceptable, until inventions like the printing press enabled dissemination of knowledge far and wide. If you want to see a modern example of the effects of organised religion (more to the point, theocracy), you don't have to look any further than the Iranian Revolution in the 1970s. Iran went from a secular, pro-science society to one ruled purely through fear induced by the dominant religion. I have always tried to maintain a dialogue with people, no matter their way of thinking. However, in recent times I've come to realise that unless you subscribe to a person's religion, any respect they give you is false. They think, by definition, that you are going to a different place to them in an afterlife that nobody truly knows exists. It doesn't become apparent until you come into conflict with the tenets of their belief (sexual orientation being a current one) - then watch them try to politely tell you wrong. The truth is organised religion is more a burden than a boon, and the quicker we move past it as a species, the quicker we can move on to things that actually matter.