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[Silver]

Religions are only beneficial for the time periods in which they were created. Reasonably, most doctrinal laws aren't beneficial for a progressing society, especially when considering secular law tends to do a better job of advancing with the times.

Granted, there are some churches and denominations that evolve past orthodoxy, gay and universalist churches for example, but in opposition there will always be the ultra conservatives who want us to live as though the medieval era was the pinnacle of perfection. I can understand a nostalgia for the good old times, but it is irrational to think returning to the past in any way ensures a successful future. After all, the point of life is to only look back so as to not repeat mistakes from back then, not to rewind time for a broken, fallible religious ideology. The point of living is to enjoy the present, looking forward in such a capacity that it enriches all of humanity rather than just a selfish niche.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Maybe religion confers more 'benefit' to believers than just civil guidance, laws, as you say. Or maybe religion is not a benefit in any secular sense and often enough entails voluntary personal hardships.

With respect to nostalgia, perhaps it is a function of age, but as a GenXer whose life exerpience straddles the purely analog and digital worlds, and watched from Nixon to now, I do believe some things in the past might have been better if they'd stayed they same...like everyone sending and paying bills in the mail rather than having a hundred different payment portals unique to each business entity and 3000 passwords with 2 step verification!...flibbity flue, I suppose. Times seemed simpler maybe because my life was less complex. I do think that was has happened to American families is a shame and I am discouraged that the a lot of people in the cultural class seem hellbent on relentlessly stoking racial animousity. Not that it has much to directly affect my private life and in reality I think the machines do not work for us anymore. The 1984 Apple ad was a lie. Most of us are just working for the machines now.

[Belacqua]

Religions are only beneficial for the time periods in which they were created. 

Christianity was created in a time period a long time ago. 

Nonetheless I knew a doctor from Hiroshima, and his wife from Nagasaki, who were both Christians. They felt their faith was of great benefit to them in recovering from their trauma, setting up a charity hospital, and helping to found International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. They were happy to attend the ceremony in which the organization was awarded the Nobel Prize. 

I know a Jewish chemist who teaches in Tokyo and has recently reconnected with his Jewish roots, even though Judaism was created in a time period long ago. He feels his Jewishness is of great benefit to him. He now reads the Torah every night and finds that it helps him to find a place in the world where he belongs, and feel grounded in a valuable tradition.

I know several Buddhists who feel that their religion is a benefit to them, even though Buddhism was created in the 6th to 4th centuries BC. Their particular branch of Buddhism began in about 1200 AD. 

Perhaps you would like to tell them that they are incorrect, that despite what they feel, they do not in fact benefit. 

You seem to be begging the question, and taking it for granted that all progress is good, and all religion inhibits progress. These things are not necessarily true. 

The point of living is to enjoy the present, looking forward in such a capacity that it enriches all of humanity rather than just a selfish niche.

First, it has yet to be proven that there is any "point of living" that can be objectively demonstrated. Perhaps you feel that there is an inherent telos in life. Or perhaps you are just stating your personal opinion. You might have arguments why enjoying the present is such a telos, but I'm sure you'll understand that others disagree.

Second, you are again begging the question by assuming that religion only wants to enrich a "selfish niche." But the word "religion" covers a lot of ground, and there are many many religious people who feel that their religion points away from a selfish niche. 

I am not religious at all, but my recent trip to Ishiyama Temple, outside Kyoto, was a significant and beneficial moment in my life. This temple has been in continuous operation since about the 10th century. It continues to be a benefit for many people.

So your thinking is either so oversimplified as to be almost meaningless, or you are just prejudiced against a huge and diverse phenomenon which has played a significant role -- both for good and bad -- throughout history. And continues to do so.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Religions are only beneficial for the time periods in which they were created. Reasonably, most doctrinal laws aren't beneficial for a progressing society, especially when considering secular law tends to do a better job of advancing with the times.

Granted, there are some churches and denominations that evolve past orthodoxy, gay and universalist churches for example, but in opposition there will always be the ultra conservatives who want us to live as though the medieval era was the pinnacle of perfection. I can understand a nostalgia for the good old times, but it is irrational to think returning to the past in any way ensures a successful future. After all, the point of life is to only look back so as to not repeat mistakes from back then, not to rewind time for a broken, fallible religious ideology. The point of living is to enjoy the present, looking forward in such a capacity that it enriches all of humanity rather than just a selfish niche.

If religion is viewed only as a societal force, I suspect you're right. If we look at religion on a personal level, however, it clearly still has value, as a lot of people derive great solace and comfort from their silly-arsed beliefs.

Boru