Re:Causes, not symptoms (Score 1)

Religion as a tool to manipulate the base goes back to the beginning.

True. In fact, manipulating the base goes back to the beginning, and using religion as a tool is completely a corollary to this fact. The persistent need (not necessarily yours, just using your post as a springboard) to associate religion with all the bad deeds done in its name is shortsighted. Human nature is to exploit and manipulate, to coerce and to steal. That these things have been done while using religion as an excuse is reprehensible, but should not be enough to motivate ill-will against religion itself. Corruption is everywhere, and we should not be any more surprised to find it within the ranks of organized religion than than within national militaries or local government.