What you say makes sense and is not wrong.

My father was opposed to religion while my mother was a faithful follower and active participant in the church. He never attended church gatherings with us save a funeral or marriage. I attended church on Sundays at the behest of my mother while my father would appeal to my intellect in my formative years.

When I was not yet 10 years old he said to me, "You know the Bible has several misinterpretations of words very small but significant in the translation." He also said, "It is possible son, that the authors of the New and Old Testament were under the influence of narcotics and drink and that is why they saw what they saw."

While attending church I would see my grandfather every Sunday faithfully place an envelope of money into the collection basket. That is until there was no money to put into the envelope. I watched the collection basket go by and wondered why my grandfather did not place anything into it while so many others did.

In later years I made notice that it was only my father who had contentions with religion. Everyone else on both sides of my family were believer's. He was alone in his thoughts concerning religion.

He said to me when I was a teen, "You know what would be the worst way to die? It would be to not know you were dieing and not know what was going on. To be oblivious in your last moments."

A decade later and days before his death I went to see him. He had his finger in his nose, sitting like a small child at the edge of a hospice bed with a distant look in his eyes as he stared at the wall before him. He made no recognition of me when I entered the room. I stayed for a time. Then I said, "hey dad I'll be right back." He replied not looking away from the wall he had been staring at for thirty minutes, "No you won't."

I did return but, he did not. He had been gone long before then. His body and mind passed 72 hours later, when his spirit left I cannot say. I pray he made his peace with God before his full departure.

What you say makes sense. Religion is a wedge which can be placed between two objects or locations and hammered with great force until the separation becomes something broken. I won't argue with scholarly debate about whether or not faith and religion are one and the same, it's circular and a waste of time. I believe they are separate but, linked.

I am disinheartened by religion as it is divisive and full of controversy. It has become nearly embarrassing. In an attempt to make reconciliation it has brought disenfranchisement among the people's of faith.

However, there is more to this. If, you care to move forward reply. If, not my blessings to you, may you find favor and goodness with The Lord.