Well said! I have always felt that organized religion served two purposes. 1. It gave the educated (monks, priests, etc.) a chance to control the masses so that they would cow tow to their wishes and make the few richer at the expense of the masses. 2. It gave hope to the poverty stricken that there was something better. Catholicism is a perfect example of both points. I spoke to a priest some years back and he said that the Catholic tradition of eating fish on Fridays. The center of Catholicism is in Rome which is part of a peninsula with water and fish on all sides. Hence, it was economics with the chance to help fishermen. It was a myth that this was done because Christ died on a Friday. Priests and Popes used to be married and had families. The hierarchy didn't like the idea that money paid to the priest or pope was left to their families upon their death. Why does each religion feel that you MUST go along with their particular beliefs or you will not go to heaven. A Presbyterian must believe their way cause the Lutherans are going to hell for their beliefs. For a long time I have felt it was all a bunch of hooey. The Bible is nothing more than a good story, nothing more. Why would God persecute the gays and lesbians if he created them in His image? Hence, I don't go to church.