Morals and religion

[gollygee]

I've never really thought about my lack of religion but it's come up a lot lately and it's been making me think about things people say that probably wouldn't have bugged me before.

I keep hearing people say that we need religion so that people know to do the right thing. Obviously, I don't agree that people need religion to know right from wrong.

What really bothers me is that religious people, particularly fundamentalist Christians, are willing to take credit when religion causes someone to make a good choice and do the right thing, but don't accept when people use religion to make a bad choice or do the wrong thing. Many "sins" have been commited in the name of Christianity, and in the name of religion in general.

How is this justified? How can people say, "If we didn't have religion, people wouldn't do the right thing" and not consider slavery, the Spanish Inquisition, hate crimes, or any other of the times terrible things have been done in the name of their religion?