Well, Willie, I suppose I'd have a different take on it. I look on scriptures as resource documents, the "founding statements" of religious groups. Some people use scriptures to control people, but a good many don't. And you really won't find many religions that condone "raping women, slaughtering children and genocide as an article of faith," even if their forebears may have done some of that in earlier times.

If you attribute something to religion and then ask, "Why would a reasonable person do something like that" - well, probably reasonable religious people wouldn't do it, either.

And as for your use of the word "superstition" in connection with religion, well, I'd question that, too. It seems that you're equating "superstition" with religious faith. I would say that "superstition" is believing in things that defy the laws of nature. But a lot of people with religious faith believe very firmly in the laws of nature - how can they be superstitious? I see a "divine essence" in the wonders of nature and humanity that surround me, but I don't see any manipulation of the rules of nature going on.

-Joe-