While I don't think that laws should be made based on religious principles or that religion should be banned, restricted, etcetera I do feel that religion is a tool to subjagate the masses, or rather that was how it was started. Take a look at Christianity. At the height of the Christian churches power you had to pay to have your sins cleansed, they fought religious wars and they tortured and killed for unorthodoxy. Another thing you'll notice is the way religions change to fit the times. The Old Testament depicts a much more vengeful god while the New Testament depicts a much kinder god. In my opinion this is because hundreds of years ago you could rule through fear. Modern societal conditions make the promise of reward a much greater draw than the threat of eternal pain. People constantly change and alter religion to fit their purposes... as if you can simply alter what you supposedly claim is factual history and the wishes of a god if it is convenient. For example, an "updated" look on Judaism says that where you pray is no longer important, it's WHEN you pray. Why do they say this? Would any God waste their time telling people that they got it wrong, that they wanted to be prayed to at certain times? I don't think so. So why was this done? Because it was inconvenient for people, it can detract from membership and commitment. Religion, in very simplistic terms, says that if you don't make waves and "be good" then you'll get to Heaven or benefit in whatever after-life you believe in. I think a majority of communists/socialists tend to feel the same way about religion. Its too bad that some feel the need to censor people because of it... I've been ranting and I can't really remember what this had to do with anything so I guess I'm done.
