That's an interesting take on religion. Where I differ in opinion is whether the contribution made to society as a whole has been worthwhile when compared to the downside of religious zealotry. The organized religions can easily make the claim that they created a set of boundaries for their adherents that will allow them to claim a prize when they die (heaven for example). In return for their subservience, they got organized infrastructure creation, codified law, etc. However, if you are not a believer, you are an outcast and cannot win the prize offered when you die.

The easiest way to control large populations is to keep them hungry and scared by whatever means are available. Religion is a great mechanism for this because of indoctrination from an early age for most people. If someone tells you over and over again that the sky is green from the time you can speak, you will very quickly believe that it is green, and that anyone who says otherwise is wrong.

History offers some great examples of people who tried to advance thinking and novel ideas who were summarily dismissed by the church and exiled or worse. In many cases, they were later vindicated and in a sense pardoned by the church.

The idea that religious people are peace loving and god fearing productive members of society can be disproven in a thousand different ways. All religions are by design a control mechanism. When control is maintained, innovation and idea spreading are stifled. When a person prostrates themself before an invisible master because they are told to do so by a control manager in the church, they are giving up a part of their humanity. When they attack another religion because a control manager tells them to kill all the infidels because "god" wants them to, they not only lose their own humanity, they steal their victims and their families humanity in the process.

I could go on and on, but I have dragons to slay elsewhere....

thx for reading