Where do I start? Some say religion is the greatest evil, the cause of nearly all suffering. Others claim it has saved them from such evils as drugs, depression, family issues; the list goes on and on. In this essay I show that religion is not the greatest of evils (nothing could ever beat MTV), but that it breeds uneeded selfish behavior, pride, and most of all, a false sence of hope.

Religion has been around ever since recorded history, in all civilizations. I could not possibly cover every religion and defend my positions for each specific one, because I do not know about them all. For this reason, I will start in the year 550 A.D, around the time the Roman Empire fell.