If Life is Meaningless Anyway, then What's Wrong with Religion?

[Bunburryist]

One way I've come to think about this question is what I call the "makes a difference but doesn't matter" perspective.  That is, much of what "makes a difference" (affects our lives, history, etc.) "doesn't matter" to the universe/reality.  Whether a person believes in a religion certainly does affect their lives - and often those around them to a greater extent than they might realize (especially if it entails raising kids in a religious context) - but, in the long run, I don't know that it will really matter.  Perhaps it "wouldn't matter" if a meteor wiped out all of humanity and every thing every human ever did.  But you don't have that.  You have your life.  And THAT makes a difference.