Yes, Allan's death was a tragedy, the moreso because of his youth and the possibility that mere money might have offered him a chance of living longer.

Another example of a subset of Christianity that I perceive as harmful to its members is the Rapture believers. If ever there was a group that doesn't practice 'higher ignorance', here is the poster child. One of their websites is called RaptureReady, and is easy to find and read. I read quite a bit there for a while because I found the concept so astounding.

Most of the posters there appear to be essentially nice, kind people, and some appear able to compartmentalize their beliefs in order to function. Others, however, are so convinced that the Rapture is imminent, any day now, maybe tomorrow, that they have lost the ability or desire to plan any kind of future. One man, despite the worried urging of his obedient (of course!) wife, has refused to arrange for the five cords of wood they need to make it through the winter - he doesn't think they'll need it, because Jesus is coming. Others don't bother going to college, or delay having children. They worry about whether the clothes they are wearing will be raptured with them - one woman wears slippers to bed, just in case. They worry about 'left behind' pets starving in their empty houses.

You can't tell me this is not harmful.