It's crazy to think that since my youth, I've been told about certain individuals who exist, yet I haven't been offered any proof of their existence, yet. At what age did I suddenly realize that these magical figures are made-up? Did adults really try to convince me that there was 1 old fat guy with flying reindeer who would deliver my presents every year to me and every other kid around the world? (mall santa; never a fan) Or that there was 1 "man" who had created the world and every living organism in it. The fact that a giant bunny would hide eggs in my backyard while I slept seemed a little creepy. Then there was an indivdual who would come into my room and take my tooth from under my pillow that was recently detached from my mouth. At least he/she left me a little spare change. The reason for these figures to have existed for me as a child was to live in some sort of fantasy. I believe my parents figured why not let the kid have a little fun before he discovers reality.
True story: When I was a kid I lost a tooth, and I said how excited I was that I was going to get a quarter from the Tooth Fairy (...the going rate for teeth, in my parents' opinion). My sister thought that was unfair because she didn't have teeth to get money for, so she said she was going to put an unpopped popcorn kernel under her pillow to try to fool the Tooth Fairy. The next morning I got my quarter, but the "TF" left my sister a DOLLAR BILL!
Tooth Fairy, man....what a bitch....
Sure, they hang out together in the minds of children. Once the children grow up Santa, the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy always leave the party; with some, god leaves with them then they all continue to hang out together in the realm of myth. Unfortunately, god refuses to leave the minds of most children. Now, if this god is generic and benign it isn't really a problem. But, if it is aggressive and demanding it can too easily become a reason to hate, descriminate, and even to torture and kill.
so you think religion is a cancer maybe benign maybe malignant, best get rid of both just to be safe. Well maybe not just get rid but certainly don't encourage.
Keith_Gilbert: I meant more a belief in a generic god (deism); where the creator god is neither defined nor involved in human affairs--and a religion based on it is not desired. And, yes, although some religions are benign, I would rather all people live in the realm of reality where they do not need to assign any agency to nature; but that isn't likely to happen--ever.