Why is religion bad?

[Chad32]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYN0UCUkXQE

Bill Maher gives a good example at 8:05 to the defense that it gives people comfort. And besides all he said, he hasn't gone over circumcision. A practice that has cause people to be horribly mutilated when done wrong, sometimes is done without anesthesia, and there was a recent thread mentioning in one area children being kidnapped to have it done on them.

[Tonus]

What's seems to be lacking in the discussion often is why religion is bad. What is it specifically about large groups believing something that isn't true that makes it harmful?

I've made this point before: religion can make people hurt other people while believing that what they are doing is good or moral or just. As an example, JWs practice shunning: they will cut off all communication with those who leave (or are removed from) the group. If you are a grandmother, this might lead your own children to refuse to see you, or allow you to see your grandchildren. No matter how painful this is for all involved, they will hold to this stance because they sincerely believe that it is what god wants from them. The same for the parents who allow their child to die because they will not allow her to receive a blood transfusion.

Anything that can make otherwise good people do horrible things to one another because they believe it's the best possible option is bad. Religion is not alone in this, but differs from the others (such as nationalism and racism) by claiming a divine, super-human authority. To betray your religious beliefs is not to betray your peers; it is a betrayal of a much higher order, and therefore acts that might otherwise be seen as vicious and cruel become righteous and just.

[ignoramus]

Religion, together with everything else "man" has an involvement in will always be bad for someone!
One cannot gain without one losing.

It's the ape in us. Our intelligence has evolved, but our instincts always try to rule.
Those instincts are biological. We can never evolve out of them, only learn to suppress them further.