All churches promote some activities which are, in and of themselves, admirable and beneficial to society. But you can say the same thing about tobacco companies and the GOP and a lot of other organizations. What-about-ism never leads to good life or public policy decisions.

i was never a catholic but it seems to me that the catholic church actually tries to help poor people in 3rd world countries. i know that priests have been killed in counties where the church was opposed to policies of the right wing govts/dictators favored by the US govt.

Mostly no.

However organized religion does fulfill people's instinctual need to belong and have a place in a community. That is about the only positive thing (any) religion provides

I should further explain I describe the need to belong as instinctual because way back in our evolution we evolved as "herd" animals. Gathering in groups better insured both survival and safety, so belonging to groups is a part of our animal instincts. However it manifests differently in different peopleand to greater and lesser degrees to sermon to person.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Oh sure.. a church that enables pedophiles and sex criminals not to mention bilking billions of dollars out their members. Sounds great to me?

Does the pope shit golden hamburgers in the woods?

Obviously not ~

This is a joke, isn't it?