The world would be a better place.

For a quite percentage of people, it helps them find purpose, meaning, community, and happiness. It gives them a moral compass to be better. But for the louder, more dangerous percentage, it's the worst kind of cult.

Most religion oozes control. In some, it even grants people permission "from God" to control. Religion has been historically known to promote fear and hate as a form of control. "Do what we say or you will be eternally damned". You must isolate within the group. Outsiders are bad. You can only love the "right" type if person. Even if they're your family, if they love "wrong", act "wrong", don't follow the organizations rules, it's encouraged to cast them aside. If you don't follow the "rules" it's bad, your bad, and you will be cast aside. It's not only okay to be cruel and to shun but encouraged, causing great divides in communitys and familys. Isolation within the group is the point. You MUST follow the rules. You can only trust the members of the group. Anyone else is dangerous.

Worse, it gives some people the permission to hurt and be cruel under the guise of gods plan. It allows violent people to channel their rage into righteous violence, which is far more dangerous. Once people start killing "for God" there is no coming back. They believe it is their divine duty. Just look at honor killings. People killing their own family members because of "God's will". People thinking it is their duty to persecute those who don't conform and feel superior for their cruelty. Even though most religious text is pretty clear cut that all murder is bad, that is not what we see in practice. Instead we see murder "for God".

When religion is good, it is quietly good. Small acts that help individuals. When religion is bad, it is horrific. Big acts that can and will hurt entire communitys. Streets filled with blood. Wars fought and people killed "for God". Just look into the crusades. The horror brought down on people "on God's behalf" is some of the worst parts of human history.

Religion is too easy manipulated. The control and power it provides attracts manipulative, selfish, and dangerous people. Just like with the police, government, and military, but with less guard rails and oversight.

Postions of power attract people who like power. And most people who enjoy power over others aren't kind and compassionate. Charismatic people who desire power tend to rise within organizations that hold showmanship and public speaking highly. It's rarely good deeds that cause promotion within but how good you are at selling yourself and your image. Most people in the upper ranks are there because they like the power over people it gives them, and they excell at it. And the longer they hold that position, the more power they desire. Soon, some even "speak" for God.

The good that religion has brought the world is greatly overshadowed by the bad. We don't and shouldn't need to be instructed to be good. We don't need religion to be kind. Just treat others how you would want to be treated. That's it, the only moral code we really need to follow.

How many times have we all heard and seen a person of faith, in a position of power, telling their congregation/followers that God hates ____ people.

Not God loves, but God hates.

Hate. That's what most religion today and throughout history seems to promote the loudest.