What are your feelings on the institution of religion?

Nothing has brought more misery to this planet than religion.

Exactly! Just what I was gonna say!

There are cases of it bringing happiness. The only time it brings misery is when a person or group of people try to force their ideas on another in the name of religion. Intolerance is what destroys or hides the benefits of religion.

I think that the question is misleading. Every social human activity is, to a greater or lesser degree, institutionalised. That's unavoidable, because institutions are the system by which society handles complex inter-personal interaction. So there's nothing wrong with institutionalisation per se, when it becomes bad is when the institution itself becomes the goal rather than merely a means to an end.

I would agree that, historically, religion has tended to become excessively institutionalised in many cases, but that's mostly because of factors that are external to the religion.

It is neither good nor bad. It just is. It is the human's way of trying to understand why. What humans should realize is...the answers do not lie in any institution or any person outside themselves. Look inside. Listen.

More people have died because of religion than have died because of anything else. More wars have been fought because of religion than anything else!!!

I think it is just a system created so that humans can justify not taking responsiblity for themselves

I would consider myself to be very religious, but I don't much care for organized religion. That is not to say that I don't think it has a place, or that it isn't useful for others though. It just doesn't suit my needs.

Here here well spoken Bruce! Let's ask the padre for a prayer. "Our Lord we beseech thee. Amen."

I think religions that institutionalize themselves according to the main tome of their faith are good. But many churches/denominations warp the main teachings of their religions to control or dominate the members of the faith and become cultic, which is bad.

religion good/institution bad. Most organised religions selectively quote 'religious books' in order to manipulate the masses. They play on fear and guilt. They are rife with hypocracy and rely on scared people never questioning authority. If something they say does not make sense it is always the fault of the lowly church goer who never has enough faith or devotion to understand Gods' 'mysterious ways'

I think that some religious institutions and/or what comes from them is good, and some religious institutions and/or what comes from them is bad.
Example: I think the Uniting Church in Australia, who have pushed for safe, legal, supervised herion injecting rooms, and constantly lobby the government to improve conditions for the poor is good.
I think the Catholic church provides good healthcare and education and housing for the homeless, however, I think their treatment of women and gay/lesbian/bi people sucks.

Spirit good, religion ok, institution bad.
Knowing one religion is like painting in one color.

I don't know. What works for people personally. What is institution of religion?

I think religion is good, but the institutionalization of it is not.
Substance (the lessons and philosophy of religion) over style (routine, symbolism etc)

Personally, I tend to think of religion as like Star Trek. If you enjoy it every week, if it gives you a sense of community, if it provides role models and inspiration and it encourages you to do good things, great. But don't treat it as providing a literal picture of the real world (though you might hope that reality turns out to be like it).

Religions are antiquated and unnessesary. You can find spiritual comfort anywhere....

I can't stand religion. People tend to get put off by so many rules and requirements, and it seems to take any fun outta life. I am a Christian, and I love God with all my heart, but I don't consider myself religious. It is a personal relationship, not a list of "do's and don'ts"

I don't think institutionalized religion offers much. Institutions in general I like, and in that sense religious institutions are as good as or better than any others, but I think other institutions could be as good as religious ones are today.

What a trite, cliche and by the way wrong statement. I'm no great lover of religion, but it pisses me off when people insult basically everybody who's ever lived on the planet by saying that religion is fundamentally evil. In particular it angers me when they attempt to support their theory with some vague and completely baseless statement like "more wars have been fought because of religion than anything else". Bullcrap. Almost every war ever fought has been fought over land. A few have been fought over other strategic resources and the very few left over have been fought because people hated each other. Religion has always been used as a tool to support war but has almost never been a significant causative factor.

I don't think that your average church goer is evil at all - religious people are often happier and friendlier people than ever but you cannot say that religion has not lead to wars and acts of evil. In Northern Ireland even now in one of the most civilised countries in the world people are still being killed because of religious beliefs. All through history people have burned people on stakes because they are of a different religion. In Israel now fighting is because of religion, ok it may be over land too but they wouldn't be fighting if they weren't of a different religion. I do however believe the church is a good thing for the individual(except for the lack of tolerance of gay people,lesbians,ethnic minorities ect...). I don't agree with the statement that "Religion has always been a tool to support war but has almost never been a significant factor" It is very often a significant factor. We will have to agree to disagree on this subject!!!

Wow, you're seriously confused about what's going on in Northern Ireland. Do you actually know anything about it other than that there are factions called ``Catholic'' and ``Protestant?'' The roots of the conflict there are purely political.

Very, very negative

No one has a right how you are to worship your specific "God". Your faith is like any other relationship, it's personal & no one else's business if you go to a church, stay at home, or dance naked under the moonlight...it is between you & your "God" on how your faith is acted out.