>Wow, in this thread I am disagreeing left and right with people I normally agree with. I can't for the life of me understand how you can say religion is "just another type of human organization." It certainly isn't to most of those who go to church.

How? The essence is in the word "organized". I strongly distinguish between faith/lack as a personal matter between anyone and anyoneself, versus organized religion as a social activity.

That many of the believers don't make this distinction is also their personal matter. I'll publicly disagree with their defense of their organizations as far as these organizations influence the lives of non-members.

>Many of them consider their faith and beliefs just about the most important thing in their lives. Like you, I don't see things the way they do, but I would never question or mock their sincerity. To liked churches to General Motors, Apple, the Red Cross, Manchester United, whatever, that's ludicrous. (Well, maybe Man U).

They can claim whatever they want, but they are human organizations, they have their internal and external politics, hierarchies, ranks, internal laws, even internal legal systems (!), they take money, they take care about their relationships with the civil authorities, and they often engage in economy as well. Now you tell me what makes them so different from those on your list.