Guest/lively, you misunderstand me, I believe.

I agree that religion, per se, has been the source and conduit of much violence, abuse and exploitation in its history. However, condemning it on that basis is like condemning the instutution of marriage. Marriage, too, has frequently been revealed as violent, abusive and exploitative. We still engage in it. Because there is much good in it too.

Where I get lost is when people claim that to believe in something unseen is irrational- we believe in unseen things every day.