Religions do the world more bad than good

Per rules stated in Round 2, I will present my own arguments and not yet respond to my opponent's contentions.C1) CharityThroughout history, religion has been the propelling factor behind charity and helping others. It motivates people to contribute to humanitarian efforts and issues such as world hunger, poverty, and abuse. Many Christians have decided to "take up the cross" by looking after "the poor, their widows and orphans, their sick and dying" as the Bible asks of them. The first hospitals in the West were built by them, and Christian leaders are the founders of many charities around the world, such as the Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club, and the YMCA. Vincent de Paul[1] and Mother Teresa[2], both of whom were religious, dedicated their lives to the service of the poor and sick.Matthew 19:21 states, "if thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me." Religious people have an obligation to make society better and to contribute to others who are less fortunate than themselves. The Salvation Army's eleven articles of faith are religious beliefs[3]. Had religion not existed, world charities would have not been where they are today: helping millions of people.C2) InspirationSome of the most enriched and genius writers, artists, musicians, architects, and scholars in all of humanity's history have been inspired because of religion. The beautiful Catholic cathedrals of Europe display a unique kind of art that has stood for hundreds of years, from the medieval periods and earlier. Galileo, Copernicus, Boyle, Newton, Pasteur, and many others all saw their scientific vocation in distinctively Christian terms. Holidays such as Christmas and Easter would not be around today had it not been for religion.Kepler, a German astronomer who discovered the three laws that govern orbital mortion, said, "I wanted to become a theologian; for a long time I was restless. Now, however, behold how through my effort God is being celebrated through astronomy"[4]. Based on their deep Christian faith and desire to learn of the mysteries of the divine, Kepler and other religious scientists ended up making impacting scientific discoveries.C3) Moral ProgressReligion helps people to have faith to keep moving forward, such as with alcoholics, criminals, and the depressed. The anti-slavery movements of America and England both began with Christians who believed slavery to be morally wrong and something that ought to be rid of. William Wilberforce was driven by Christian convictions in the late 1700's to begin the anti-slavery movement[5] that would eventually have slavery abolished in England by 1833 where it would spread to America and end it there as well. Many morals and laws of modern society were influenced by Christian and Jewish teachings.Thomas Jefferson's proposition that all men are created equal was a "self-evident" truth and a gift from God, that we are all endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights. This truth was used to propel the First and Second Great Awakenings of America that led to freedom and equality of rights for former slaves, women, minorities, etc. The motives of Martin Luther King Jr. are a strong echo of Christianity, that human worth is assessed not through power and possessions but through virtue that has already been integrated into our daily lives.Religion has benefitted the world in many major ways, such as an abundance of charitable organizations, advances in science, art, and music, and a moral progression that led to the end of slavery and the values of equality being established throughout society.[1] http://en.wikipedia.org......;[2] http://www.biography.com......[3] http://www.salvationarmyusa.org...[4] http://www.britannica.com...[5] http://en.wikipedia.org......