This is a question without a simple answer. Religion did help mantain a lot of knowledge during the dark ages. Without the Catholic Church much of the scientific and intellectual knowledge of the previous two thousand years would of been lost. This knowledge was the foundation for the world we have today. At the same time the church supressed ideas that threatened its power, which is derived from god and their supposed access to him. Their idea of god is what made the Catholic Church the most powerful enity in the west for over a thousand years. They had a vested interested in suppressing any ideas that ran counter to their own. This certainly had a negative impact on the western world. When it comes to knowledge and sciencce religion has both hurt and helped to such varying degrees that I think its impossible to simple say it had a overall positive or negative effect.

Another argument thrown at religion is that it divides people and gives them a reason to see those outside their sect as less then and therefor subject to inhuman treatment. While true I believe this has less to do with religion and more to do with the nature of humans. People love institutions, religious or otherwise. They give power to them and that power is often used in horrible ways.

In the end it one of those hypothetical that I don't think has a compelling argument in either direction. Its also sort of a question without a purpose for me. Lets say we determine that the world would be better off without religion, then what? Religion will always exists. With that in mind shouldn't we move on to try and see how religions can coexist along side one another and along side nonbelievers? Its been done throughout history, its more then a mere fantasy unlike the idea of a world without religion.

Whilst I somewhat agree with your point, I'd just like to add that religion is usually used as a tool to convince masses that they're right and to justify war using religious propaganda and moral authority (even when it's the opposite of that religion's actual moral code).

Religion isn't always the cause, but it usually helps a war effort if the people believe they're justified and religion can aid that.

1. I said in the 60-70 where pedophilia was rempant in priesthood, not today

2. Something to trigger it, thats what I said. Surely if you have pre-disposition then your more likely to trigger the problem. Tough, it can happen with or without pre-disposition. And, even if you have pre-disposition (whatever the factors) problem may never arise. So no its not true that a pedophile priest would have been one nonetheless. It may, but not neccessarily. What about the army mens who rape women from the enemy. Would they have been rapist anyway if they handt been place in that situation? What about the one that will do it because the other does it?

3. Both of my parents are psychologist, ive discussed about psychology since a very young age. And you?

Between, if you didnt get it, my point is that, in many instance the serial killer or pedophile would be one nonetheless but not neccessarily. In the orphanage there was more pedophile priest than in other situation. Sure, there could be many factors to explain that. But its not as simple as black or white. Thats what im trying to explain to you.

Your right, funny thing is that Atheism negate the existence of god. Its a form of believe exactly like being catholic. While Agnostic, suspend their judgment, they dont negate nor believe gods exist. So many Atheist are infact Agnostic.

I didn't say 80% of bad stuff in the world came from religion, I said 80% of wars are caused by or have some connection to religion. Which I don't think is too far from the truth. What good came from religions exactly? Besides life lessons and values that are for the most part common sence. Is convincing people to pour money into a false orginization a good thing?.. nope.. Maybe giving weak hopeless people something to believe in. I guess that's good. But they didn't have to bring down everyone else. If you can't tell whats right from wrong without being threatened with an afterlife of hell, then I think you have some other bigger problems.

Simply put, we wouldn't exist. It is impossible to separate the creation myths of early civilizations from the people themselves. It was part of our evolutionary process to explain mysteries in the world with fantastical stories and binding them with morality issues to self-govern tribes and civilizations.

I may as well ask "where would we be without sentient thought?"

PS. I love all the people on this forum who blindly state "the world would be way better" because it's en vogue to hate on organized religion nowadays. Any rational examination of the situation would realize that simply isn't the case.

PPS. I despise organized religion in general but I'm not foolhardy enough to overlook some of the good it has done over the years (along with the bad, of course).

Yeah its not religion by itself that is the cause of war. Its sad tough that many countries internal problem are still related to it. Between, is the idea for your sig comes from the book of Boris Cyrulnik?

i love how people blame relgion for mankind's faults...

i don't know. remember David Jaffe said he would make Kratos destroy all the gods

1.  Which, surprise surprise,  isn't true.  It wasn't more prevelent then in the general population then.

2.  By the time someone is a priest it's too late to trigger it.   Pedophillia has to be triggered BEFORE sexual maturity.  So again.   You are wrong. 

3.  I personally have a degree in psychology.  Try talking to your parents about this again if they really are psychologists.  You are wrong.  They will tell you as such.  Padophillia has to be triggered BEFORE sexual maturity.