Have you ever known a really good person who was inspired by their church community?
Yes for everyone of them i know innumerable people who sit back pacified by an overdose of dogma and wait for their pie in the sky instead of being proactive and taking control of their fate.
Have you ever thought about the strength that such a community has brought to many people? And by this, I mean the strength and the courage to do good things.
Yes i do know some people but i know many more who are resigned to the fact that some supernatural comic book-esque cat will come from the hereafter and save everyone, while our prophets continued to be slaughtered.
Have you ever known any minister, priest, rabbi or other religious person who was seriously committed to creating love and not division?
Yes for everyone of them there are thousands who perpetuate sexism, racism, elitism or just are plain old oppurtunists out for a buck.
I know that you're really sensitive to the whole religion issue, but most people need the strength of a community.
We have a community it a community of human beings until find fellowship in humanity we are headed for a great calamity.
In Catholicism, part of the creed goes "I believe in the communion of saints" by which it means the present influence of all good people in our lives.
The Catholic church as an institution is responsible for more evil than any other entity in the last 1700 years. They have murdered and tortured more people under the false word of God than anyone can imagine. Don't take my word for it read some books.