First, we must all one day or another, come to recon with what ever it is that is on the other side of the dimentional door we call death. Yet read on, and you will discover that gaining eternity has little to do with throwing your life away. There really is such a thing as necessary sacrifice . Then again there is also foolish and unnecessary self destruction . The one that really counts.
Traditional religion can be of enormous service in conserving culture and advancing scholarship.
Deep Scholarship can sometimes clear the way to a higher understanding. At the very least it should widen our appreciation for the differences and similarities between us. The Ontario Centre for Religious Tolerance is a marvelous site about healthy and unhealthy religious practices. A source page for the great Sacred Texts of the world. The Urantia Book.