Wakey I'm not going to go into a detailed response although I could. Though in regard to improving the lot of the south of the planet I'd refer you to the Catholic church's stance on contraception. You quote the Mayans' inhumane practices. I hate to break it to you but the practices were religious ones. You quote the horrors of fascism. Fair enough. Would you like to estimate how many Jews were wiped out in religious pogroms across europe in the many centuries before the Nazis appeared on the scene with their disgusting ideology. The world does not need religion to show us compassion. We all have that within us. Religion has sown division, fear, the suppression of women in all its forms for millennia. Yes it's done some good along the way too but its a crutch we do not need and one that continues to give the credulous and the evil cover for appalling actions. That's me done on this one.