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Even if religion did only good and no ill, god would still not be real.

 
 
 
It's your 'serious' question.
It's your choice.
It's your life.
I don't feel like playing word games.
Bye
 
It's not an issue of word games, it's a question of determining what is true and factual and what is not. A matter of sorting fact from fiction. A question of whether there is an actual God, or not, rather than who believes this or who believes that.....
 
Lion dear, do you not realize that many of us here who are now atheists, once did believe that there was a Christian god, but it never made us feel at peace or happy? I am one of those people. I was raised by conservative Christian converts and was taught to read the Bible everyday, memorize scripture, pray for forgiveness, etc. etc. I was told that Jesus would save me from eternal damnation, etc. etc. I tried, and I thought I believed all of that stuff as a child, but it always caused me a bit of distress unless I was able to stop thinking about it. Eventually, while attending a very conservative Christian college, I came to my senses and realized I had been taught a lot of ancient mythology that had no relevance in my life. I looked around me. The Christians were not any happier or better than I was. They just seemed gullible, or imaginative, as they were able to believe things that lacked evidence, and without any justification. After ten years of studying other religions, I realized my atheism. I've never been happier since. I have a wonderful marriage. I had a rewarding 42 year career as a professional nurse. I raised a successful son, but I allowed him to decide what to believe for himself, so I only mildly exposed him to religions. His father was a Baha'i, a much nicer, unifying religion than Christianity, but still not based on fact. My son is a very well adjusted, happily married atheist. I never even asked him what he believed until he was in his late teens. I never told him what I believed until then because I wanted it to be his own decision. So, I hope you can understand that we don't have to be Christians to live happy, satisfying, productive lives.

On the other hand, I am willing to admit that there are many people who personally benefit from being Christians, especially when it comes to finding supportive community, as well as outlets for charitable works. I have no problem with them or even with religion per se, as long as it's not forced on me or mixed with our secular government. Believing that God and Jesus are real doesn't make it so. Can I prove they aren't real? No more than I can prove that there aren't any garden fairies, or Santa. And I do love mythological garden fairies. As a former member of IIDB used to say, "God is Santa Claus for adults". If it makes you feel good, and if it helps you be a better person, good for you. Just realize that what helps one person cope doesn't work for everyone.

Back to the OP, even if religion only did good things, it still wouldn't be true. I strongly agree with that. But, humans have been making stuff up since the cognitive revolution. Religion is just one of the many things humans have made up. I would love it if everything done in the name of religion made the world a better place. Unfortunately, that isn't the case, but it does help some people find purpose, community and a reason to do good. I hope that's what it does for you. Just realize that your experiences are yours alone and many of us have found purpose, community and outlets for being good without religion.
 
If you really did simultaneously;

a) believe in (the Christian) God, but
b) it never made you feel at peace or happy,

...then I would say that either the former or the latter wasn't true.

And yeah, I am aware of the phenomenon of people becoming atheists.
 
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