Religion is often a very good force in the world.

Organised Religion is more often a destructive force in the world. :-P

Because it does good, makes me feel good/happy, tradition, etc... are not reasons for religion.

Why not?

It is not rational... if your neighbor came out and said "I have a car sized diamond in my back yard, sure am happy" & you said, "Wow, how do you know?". Then he says "because I don't want to live in a world without a car sized diamond in my back yard", do you think of that man as a rational one? Would that be a reason for him to go on a shopping spree?

Hey, I trick myself into sleep sometimes pretending I am on a Polar expedition who have only just made it back to base - all warm and cosy and snuggly and ALIVE and that's all that matters.

Whatever gets your through the night.

I thought you accepted people's beliefs weren't the problem - only their actions were? So if your neighbour gets off on his "diamond" good for him. Just don't beggar the family spending the mortgage payment because of it.

Religion isn't rational--that's kind of the point.

Oops. I apologize. I just realized which thread this was, and that questioning unpopular opinions is not good form here. Carry on.

I think spectator sports are pedestrian.

I think pedestrians should be spectator sports.

Anyone who bought a house or refinanced in the past three years is in for a surprise.

I never questioned anyone's right to believe what they wanted to, just how they acted on it.
This thread is about unpopular opinions and mine is that religion is unfounded, not helpful, can be replaced by far more productive activities and irrational.

--OJ did not kill Nicole and Ron...BUT HE KNOWS WHO DID.

--80's cheesy metal is actually pretty good.

--The native Americans deserve compensation

--native black Americans do not

--The first slaves here were Irish (indentured servants) and they were never "freed".

--talking on a cell phone while driving should be illegal nationwide..

--convicted criminals deserve a cell, bed, shower, toilet, 3 meals a day, a drab jumpsuit and slip on shoes.

--they don't deserve TV, computers, "regular" clothing.

--Iraq was not a war for oil

--country music was better then than it is now.

Tell that to the guys who just built a museum in KY.

I think there should be limitations on spending in College sports. It should be a fraction of what is spent on any educational department.
Also, the amount spent should be leveled between sports and genders.

That'll show em, instead of those cherry orange ones they have now.