I agree with vrt, that Organised Religion has become like a corporation, using religious dogma and political nuances to better its shareholders. I have, as I said, nothing against Atheists or Agnostics, or practitioners of any religion - my problem is with the tiny minority who proclaim themselves devout practitioners and faithful servants of 'said deity' and then presume to organize and manipulate Religion like a tool for carving themselves an economic and political force.
We see this increasingly in the 21st Century (a term which I hate, I prefer modern day or contemporary times). People mix pride with their beliefs and organized religion teaches them that they are better than people who practice other beliefs. They twist and manipulate good moral codes and values into petty skirmishes and political arenas which serve only to create capital and conflict.
I speak here about an extremely small minority of very isolated and extreme cases of Organized Religion. One well known example would be the Church of Scientology, with their 'subscription-like' manner of converting people to their religion. I also see this form of organized religion in the evolution over time of the Holy Roman Empire into the Papacy, which still holds enormous political, economic and social constraint over many countries with large Christian populations. At the time, c200ad to c1400ad, the Papacy/Holy Roman Empire had almost complete jurisdiction over all of Europe and its peripheries. Take the Crusades for example.
In this '21st Century', global corporations and governments alike have realized a need to become more subversive in their motives, often acting with hidden agendas and long term plans in operation behind the scenes. Now, without delving into the world of conspiracy theories, I just want to say that I firmly despise any body/organisation which twists the guilt and morality of a Religion against an individual to make them pay in the long term.
Again, my views, my thoughts, correct me if I am wrong or completely ignorant and biased.
