Religious Debate

I had thought of a statement and was hoping that we might debate it here.

My thought is this:

Organized religion works because it focuses its attention on personal salvation in an effort to harmonize an individual with ideals to treat himself and other people with the unconditional love and respect that all of the prophets and scholars of all religions preach.

Organized religion ceases to work when it becomes focused on encouraging its members to dictate certain behaviour to others. It ceases to work when the mission of the religion is to force it's perception on everyone, not just its members. Organized religion actually causes damage when it shifts its focus from helping, loving and caring for people in an unconditional way and to a dogma that segregates those actions and feelings from certain types of people. (For example, mainstream Christianity's stance on homosexuals.)

This is why I believe the founders of this country sought to build a wall between theology and politics, because there would always be the over-zealous preacher, bishop, prophet or reverend that would take things too far, get into politics and legislate discrimination against certian types of people whom they don't agree with. The separation between church and state offers a barrier from these religious witch hunts and it pains me to see politicians pandering to the religious factions of their parties calling for them.

So.

Let's talk about this.

Or not. I'm used to getting ignored.