Why should religion have any influence on our lives?

[FatAndFaithless]

The only way to eliminate the influence of religion would be to eliminate religious people from society...

I disagree with this statement.

The way to 'eliminate' any ideology is to prevent it from propagating. You don't need to do this with physical force.

You don't even have to eliminate its source, just eliminate its ability to reproduce. Refuse to teach religion to those most susceptible to it, i.e., children, or refuse to teach it in isolation and instead promote all (and no) religions on a genuinely equal basis and I'd bet my bottom dollar you'd see religious adherence fall year on year.

In fact I can evidence that by looking at states that have introduced a workable and, above all, popular and supported secular systems into its government structures. Where religious neutrality flourishes, religion tends not to, though there are notable exceptions to this (India, Turkey etc).

Yarr. Hell, this forum is a great example of how the influence of religion was halted for a great number of people without any kind of force.