Truly taughtbuffet, I couldn't agree with you more with the first part of your statement. Religion is not the problem, it's man. You and I could agree on more than you imagine.
I get your point re the maths test, but that is more about intelligence rather than perception or faith. The more one understands, studies and commits to understanding maths the better the marks.
With religion, even the best and brightest are vulnerable to all sorts of crazy ideas and beliefs. Intelligence is no safeguard, in fact it might even be an obstacle to common sense.
A better analogy might have been a group of witnesses to a car crash. Each will have a different point of view when interviewed. They will go home to their families, tell them what they saw and that will be their truth. The real truth is more likely to be found in putting all the witness reports together and finding a common overview.
