When step 2 intersects with capitalism, all the other stuff just naturally follows. Sure there are people who legitimately want to help people (read an article about 2 Christians giving up their high paying jobs to spend their time making affordable housing for the poor and indigenous people) but they're increasingly becoming the minority.
That said, money based religions are only one oppressive group that bands together for profit and control. Religions aren't much different than political parties (hence the smashup between many) and corporations, organized crime, etc.
Human nature, rather than being inherently good, tends to be inherently bad. Hence why most giant groups tend to be oppressive by nature. It's why I believe that there shouldn't be giant concentrations of wealth and power.
Yeah, it's ridiculous. American politicians literally swear on the bible as they assume office and then quote bible verses on the job and then they expect us to believe we're anywhere other than at that second from last step?
Learning about religion in school isn't necessarily a bad thing. We studied the major religions, Buddhism, pantheism, and to a lesser degree minor religions as a part of social studies in 7th grade. I think it was the first time anyone actually told me there were 'options' other than Christianity. More importantly, it helped me understand where others are coming from even though I don't share their faith. If it's approached from a purely educational standpoint I think religion does have a place in school - and I'm an atheist. We just shouldn't be presenting any of it as fact or "right" when it's all a matter of opinion, nor teaching them about any one specific religion and excluding others.
I'm against religion as an organized institution that influences the world on a daily basis, but fuck comparative mythology is cool as hell. Thanks to it we got Morrowind's amazing lore, since it was one of Kirkbride's fields of study in college.
There are some states passing laws mandating "in god we trust" be placed somewhere prominent in the school. There's an argument to be made that by doing this, the states are mandating that education systems must promote the the idea of the Bible and it's claims being true.
This post is arguing that we should not allow people to fucking quote: "freely worship their god" to prevent being sent to an internment camp, and you incels are eating it up.
Is it? I mean it clearly references it, but unless I'm not getting something, that's a hateful meme slurring transgenderism, and this is a hateful meme slurring religion. If either of them are intended ironically, they're cutting pretty damn close to the Poe line. I'm not seeing any parody.