Our World Would Be Better Off Without Religion

My opponent argues that the negative affects of religion outweigh the benefits. However, I have some more benefits to debate. 1.) Religion makes a virtue out of faith in God Christians do not deny all of what science says but they do have faith in God. This faith is a virtue and also leads to one we all know of, because when you put your faith in someone other than yourself you developed selflessness. Religious people see a purpose greater than themselves because their faith is not in themselves or their material possessions on earth. In a society where it is very easy to get caught up in what the world thinks through social media and interactions with others, faith in God leads people to focus on others rather than what is best for them. Faith in God and the teachings of the Bible lead people to think about more than their own personal interests, actually creating a capacity and a desire for them to think in a way that self centered people might not. 2.) Religion redirects generosity from itself to support others There are probably millions of charities in our world today, and I would guess that the average person has never known about 99% of them. However, a religious institution (church or any other) can connect its members to some of these unknown charities. By setting up special offerings, sponsoring missions and missionaries, and forming groups of volunteers to help those in need. While religion could be helping itself, religious people remain one of the most charitable groups in the world, helping people around the globe in ways that would probably not be possible if not for religion. Religion takes the resources and talents and attention of regular people and puts them to work to better the world. 3.) Religion fixes helplessness My opponent"s claims here are completely false. Religious people often work as herd or harder than others to get out of the potholes of their lives. It is disrespectful to claim that all religious people sit around and do nothing about the injustices of their lives. However, often times a person can work all they want as hard as they can and not see a change in the world around them. This will naturally lead them to feel helpless. Religion can fix that. People who are in regular prayer will feel better about their problems and can be assured that they have a higher power who is working for them and with them because He has their best interest at heart, even if that is not what we think is in our best interest. People can feel less helpless with religion than without because they can know that God and their community of others within their religion are there to help them. 4.) Religion helps its followers know that their religion is beneficial I believe that the teachings of my religion are the truth, and that if I commit myself to Christ and try to live a life that honors him, I will be rewarded after my death. Similarly, I can assume that you enjoy being part of your choir, and that you agree with many if not all of the song choices, and also that you see choir as being beneficial to your life not only in the musical realm, but also in the social and intellectual realms of life. If I did not agree with what my religion taught I would most likely leave it and search for a new religion. Similarly, I will assume that if you didn"t like your choir, didn"t enjoy the time you spent with it, or did not see it as beneficial to your life, you would probably leave it and join another choir or group. In the same way that you claim that religion teaches its followers that what they believe is right, any group will try to teach its members that their group is best for them. Similarly to how I believe that my religion is right not because it tells me to but because I see it as logical, healthy, and beneficial to my life, you believe all of these same things about your choir group. However, I am going to guess that you do not question your group, wonder if it is brainwashing you, or, in the same way that you are doing here with religion, claim that the world would be better off without choir. I am not surprised to know that you were once religious, your passion and at the same time respect for this topic gave me a hunch that you might not be a lifetime atheist. I am sorry that you have experienced something that has driven you away from religion but am glad that you feel comfortable taking about it. Please consider the positives I have listed above as well as the 5 functions that I have mentioned in my first argument.