Religion...how does it play a role? Pol 106

Religion is the single most abused system of mass belief ever known to man. Not only has religion been used for centuries to allow atrocities to occur throughout the world, the Crusades and the invasions during Imperialism, but it has also been kept strong in politics. This is not to say that countries who use religion law as their civil laws are wrong, but when a country like the United States says it will have separation of church and state and it doesn't, there is a major problem. Firstly, no matter how the morals of the various religions in the world tell us to think, if we have separation then it is the current trends and times that set presidents for laws. Secondly, religions should not be used as a scapegoat for bureaucratic screw-ups, note the death penalty cases and their multiple over turns throughout the court systems. This means that it is not our morals, but our understanding of the current times which should set policy...no using the idea of an "eye for an eye" to gain support for wars and invasions. Thirdly, no matter what, there is never, ever a good reason to say that a law is not right because it does not agree with what a certain religion says, note gay marriage and posting of religions objects on public ground. All in all I believe the country needs to wake up and understand that the times are changing, and if we continue to use religion as a false base for the way we run and govern our nation, we will eventually fail and fall.