I venture into this thread with trepidation as I have engaged in this kind of debate for many years here, particularly after 9/11.
I think reference to a supernatural power is acceptable. IMHO the reason we have religion is because Mankind must use faith to exist. We cannot exist except by believing. Every thing in our lives we only really know by faith. Because we believe we are not really of this world, our minds can conceive of a God. This belief in a God comes out of our existence and experience of the world. The ancients believed and planned for it for their funerals and burial chambers. I think these belief systems were not imposed, although I will agree that many leaders eventually imposed their versions on their people. These belief systems came out of the experience of people.
The thing about belief is that it is the foundation on which we make decisions. If we believe the truth about something then when we make a decision it will be the right decision because it is based on what is true. But if what we believe is not true then any decision might well be the wrong decision. So what we believe is important.
When it comes to religions I submit that Christianity is the true religion because it teaches that God made the world and he made it in a rational way. Consequently Man could study the world and make observations and know they were true because the Christian God did not play tricks like so many other Gods, according to their believers. From this base came Science as we know it today.
Without the Christian God there would have been no scientific development, which so many of you admire.
