Religion is Poison

This is something that has been occupying my mind for quite a while. The statement itself is a bold one considering the last events in The Netherlands over the past 2 weeks. The title alone is enough for some people to send a bullet between my eyes.

But is also why i need to make this statement, since religion is the cause of almost all terror we see around us. Virtually every political dispute is over some sort of religious idea. I have never been a real advocate of religion and i have a strong opinion about what the effects are on people and what it actually tells me about their personalities.

To me it's all a fairy-tale. A glorified tale of some ancient fact that totally lost their purpose in the struggle for power throughout the past two millennia. Religion has become a tool for those who seek power. First it was the Catholic church, their mission seemed to be to eradicate any person who opposed the ideas of the church. Many died for the cause of the church. I honestly wonder who has more deaths to their name, the church or Hitler. I have not enough knowledge to make this a fact, but i think Hitler was a sweet little choirboy compared to what the church has done. And lets not forget who the church sided with in the second world war.
All in all with the right marketing skills we could have been believing in Cinderella. And even in this fairy-tale we could have found some extremist ideas. You can read anything between the lines if your looking for it. There are no facts left in religion just lies.

I might have my opinion about religion, but i do not oppose ones personal believes, everyone should be free to choose their faith. If it gives you strength, you should be free to exercise this. What does appear to be a problem in society, is when religion is exercised in public. When it gets mixed up with politics.
Religion should be like sex, it's private. And I'm not really sure on my position here though. But in a way it would seem better if no one would visually express their faith. But on the other hand i think everyone reserves the right to show their personality and thus their faith. So the contradiction of both raises a new question. I have my ideas about what religion should be, but i can't and i won't enforce it anyone. And it will be impossible to actually show the world what is right in my opinion. It's my opinion, and why should anyone listen it. It's not a word from G'd (in respect for our fellow Jewish citizens).
I am in the process of writing a piece on my faith, which is a combination of the essence of Christianity with Taoistic ideas and a hint of Bhuddism. In the end i believe it covers all religious believes. But more on this in a later article.

The problem that i am faced with now is the question of what really is the cause of all political issues in relation to religion. What is the common relation between the Roman Empire, Muslim extremists, the Spanish Inquisition, Northern Ireland, the Ku Klux Klan, World War II and the Israeli Palestinian conflict? Just a few obvious conflicts but is it really nothing more then power?