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					Originally Posted by Matt 26z  So explain yourself. Let's have something really specific.
 Still waiting for someone to come up with something.
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 Matt,  I would be  very glad  to  help you with this ...  Ok   one of the absolute  biggest  things   that  "religion"  has  directly  affected  is  in the area of  human sexuality.   To  cause  one to  feel as though they  can't  even  abstain from  masturbating   for   their  own God  will   screw you  up  big time.  In this particular  example,  I am  of  course  talking about the  catholic  church  taking   a chapter  of the bible totally  out of contex and  adopting a doctorine forbidding  people to masturbate.  This is both unnatural and impossible  if you are male. It causes  low self esteem  and  shame and guilt to consume  our  youth.  I  know one thing  and that is  if God  created us to be sexual,  it  is  a spit   back in his face to pretend  we are not.   
The  text in the  bible  FYI  was  about  a man  spilling his seed after   God  commanded him to  impregnate his dead brothers wife.   He  pulled  out  and  spilled his  seed  and  God  got  angry.  He was angry  because he had  not obeyed his command to impregnate  not  because his  jizz  went  on the floor!!  But this is exactly the basis  by which   it  is forbidden in that  particular  religion!!   Now  countless  thousands  have since read the same text  and  surely  know it  is  based  on   a misunderstood  interpretation,  yet   they  have never   chose to  change their   docturine.   There is  yet another example of  how  religion  affects   people   badly.   I mean   a dad  to  tell his  son  he can't  beat off knowing  its  based on  misinformation ..  Shameful.  
Also  surely   it  can  be   directly  a religion   when  people  kill others in the name of ALa  or whomever.  Right?  The religion  and   essentially  the   particular people  in the sect of religion   that   caused  these things to happen. There is  history  by which  you can clearly see religion at  the core for many   horrible  things  .. However  and  as I said  earlier..   It is the greed  and  power  of a very select few that  are benefiting  from these  "religions"  and they  will continue to perpetuate  and exploit the basic human  need to be loved and be  needed and or important .,.. for purpose.  
I  understand religion  has  a purpose,  but IMO  its  purpose  is  evil and  that  is  how I feel.  I think the facts  of history  prove that.  
All of  us  have always  had  that   lil  something  deep inside us, from when we  were  children even...  that   untouchable but knowing that  we  were each  created  special.  That   there is  a higher purpose  maybe  but  we all   just  know that  there must be  a GOD.    Then  we  let   inherited faith systems  or  hard  knox  and   control  rewrite the voice inside us.   Its  not  our  fault  but  it  happens all the time anyway.    I know  the voice inside  and  it is   very  cool..  But  Religion  holds  folks  down  and keeps them from who they  were created to be.    That  is  not  what any God   would do to you.    
Hope   you receive this in the spirit  it was intended.   Thanks  for listening!