Is being an atheist important to you?

[fredd bear]

Maybe so. We've never had a society without those things, though, so it's hard to know. 

What argument do you have for this idea?

Ever heard of ISIL?

If it's not religion, it's the personality cults often found in dictatorships:

EG; Mao,Hitler, Stalin, Kim Jong Il, Evita Peron, Imelda Marcos.. Can't think of any others of hand, but I'm sure there are more

As previously discussed, it seems humanity may have a built in "urge to the divine', which is possibly caused  by our deep need for order. I think that need  is met in political personality cults.

A sweeping condemnation of religion is I think, a bit facile.

Religious wars always have a political agenda and very little if anything to do with religion---except of course by the poor dumb bastards doing the actual dying.

The majority of human beings on the planet  seem to identify with some religious beliefs. Imo this is because religion meets some very basic human needs. If this were not the case, there would not be literally thousands of different religious beliefs spread all over the world .

HOWEVER, it is also my belief that organised religions are the greatest confidence trick ever perpetrated on the human race. -_people are conned into thinking they need a specialist(priest or similar) to mediate with their god(s) That their god(s) require sacrifice of some kind, ranging from a as say a few flowers  to objects ,  lots of money, or in extreme cases, human sacrifices. Of course the community has to support the priests, so they can concentrate on currying favour with the god(s)

My observation is that it is inevitable that such organisations eventually become corrupt.

YES, some religions, and religious people do a great deal of good.  Whether the good outweighs the bad is probably a question which cannot be answered.

The clip linked below is a debate with Stephen Fry taking the negative, and Anne Widecombe &c the positive, on the proposition: The Catholic Church is a force for good  in the world. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZRcYaAYWg4