Is Religion a tool?

[Anomalocaris]

So, is Religion essentially a tool for someone who needs to cope and be told what to do in this world? Is it merely a crutch? I'm not sure how an Atheist would view it, since I'm Agnostic myself. I have only read bits and pieces of the Christian bible...and it saddens me how Stephen Harper won't accept gay marriages, not everyone is a Christian! Anyways, that's another story for another thread.

1. Being Agnostic alone is impossible If you do not have positive belief in the existence of a God you are an Agnostic Atheist.

2. Religion is not necessarily a tool. Some if not most genuinely believe it is true, many of those might aslo find utility in religion, but thats beside the point.

I think relatively few would stake a strong position that religion was true were it not for the fact that it is perceived to offer great utility if it were true. It is not for nothing that almost every religion strong enough to survives espouses fantastically extravagant notions of its own utility. Since religion maintain its hold through its perceived utility, it is a tool.