system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
cmv: Religion does more harm than positive, and in general is holding us back as a society

*I would like to specify that I meant to talk about organized religion and I have no problem with people believing in a god. Thats what I was trying to say in the first paragraph.*+

First off, I’m just going to start by saying that I would by no means tell this to a religious person, and I respect their right to believe. I also personally know numerous people who have been helped by religion, and numerous religious figures who are really good people. I just think the negatives outweigh the benefits

Ok now on to why. 

The first reason why I think so is because most modern religions instill racism indirectly through their teaching. They teach that their religion is the correct one and what god intends, and that anyone who doesn’t agree is a sinner. This mentality leads to followers thinking they’re superior to another group of people and use religion as a justification. Throughout history there have been countless examples I don’t even need to mention. And even in modern day there are examples, such as conflicts with the US and the Middle East. Although backed by economic reasons, the religious rhetoric used by each side is constantly stoking the fire, and to be honest I think a lot of Americans who want to go fight for the US do it for religious reasons. (That is at least what I have experienced, I haven’t met a single peer of mine who went into the army who hadn’t talked about some sort of religious justification or just been plain racist against Muslims)

Next reason is that religion leads to a lot of illogical conclusions that have no place in our day today. For example, teaching children celibacy rather than sexual education. How is this in any way a logical idea? And even if it is why should religious followers just trust in this idea because someone wrote it in a book thousands of years ago. Another thing is anti abortion sentiments. I’ll talk about Catholicism because I don’t know about the others on this topic, but the Catholic Church has no stance on abortion until the 70s. Once it was politically beneficial to stir controversy about abortion, the church picked a side Similar thing with homophobia. The Bible did not contain anything about homophobia and the modern excerpt used to justify it comes from a mistranslation of the original text. Fact of the matter is religious views change, and the followers of these views take them for granted and don’t use their own heads, making religion a dangerous thing for someone who knows how to use it.

Also religion is just purely illogical, and believers believe in it without any sort of scientific evidence at all. This leads to a society that trusts what they are told, and doesn’t question their world views through evidence.  The American president has stated many times that he wants to instill Christian values, and people support him because that. They continue to do as religion has taught them; they listen mindlessly and don’t think about adjusting their world view, but just listen to this figure who claims to support religion.

Last thing is just a question but what makes a religious text so special that people trust in it and sometimes even quote it as evidence for certain articles. It was ultimately written by one person, or a few, and has been changed many many times. Not a single thing in it has been proven, and it states numerous hilariously crazy claims that are just stupid. If it had been written differently, the people in the world who were religious would act differently. Just because the initial author decided to write it that way.

Anyways, I think as a scientific society with constant advancement in that direction, religion is just holding us back. Although a lot of my reasons were based on individual instances, without religion at all these instances would not happen. People need to think for themselves, and not be told what they need to think. This will just lead to problems. Anyways, looking forward to seeing people’s opinions.
gpt
A lot of your points are extremely sweeping generalizations without great backing in facts. Lets look at some of your claims:

> modern religions instill racism indirectly through their teaching 

Most religions also claim that we should treat all people with respect and dignity. While religious identity can be wrapped up with cultural identity, blaming religion for racism is wrongheaded. People can be all sorts of racist without being religious. Additionally, many of the modern conflicts have reasons beyond religion. We aren't having a holy war out there, instead spheres of influence and natural resources have more to do with the conflicts. 

> teaching children celibacy rather than sexual education 

Not exactly true. Many religious institutions give a thorough sex education. IT is also with the caveat that they teach that celibacy is the morally correct choice. While you might disagree with that teaching, it is on solid, well debated ground. Increased sexual liberation is not necessarily progress. 

>the Catholic Church has no stance on abortion until the 70s 

The church has had teaching on the sanctity of life since the 1st century. While it was not political until the 70's, the moral opinion is unchanged.

> making religion a dangerous thing for someone who knows how to use it.

Making any system of belief dangerous is possible. Look at China, they are not religius but are  actively perpetuating human rights abuses.

> This leads to a society that trusts what they are told, and doesn’t question their world views through evidence 

This is also true of non-religious belief systems. Look at the propaganda of any state or social entity.

It seems that you have come to a lot of these conclusions based on an almost religious adherence to atheist rhetoric. The categorical assumptions that the religious are sheep, That the texts are without value, and that belief is blind are rhetorical talking points that don't hold up under scrutiny. Furthermore, many of the scientists and philosophers that advanced society were religious. It cannot be separated cleanly. Religions have many problems, some are incompatible, it does not prove that there is no god, that there is not wisdom in religious texts or communities, or that religion holds back society.