The corruption of institutions is a fellow traveller to the decay of the universe. Stay on the front foot!

Being 'religious' can mean anything from being a Muslim to a climate fanatic. If you are a Christian, say so. I am a Christian, but I am not 'religious', which has nut job connotations to most people.

" ….where does that leave the Church?". Up the proverbial Creek without a paddle. The church bureaucracy tossed Christianity out the door long ago.

Faith is an enemy to reason. It asks one to believe because it is absurd. It asks one to believe what is neither justified nor proven. Christianity and other religions are losing their hold on the educated. We want more than to be told to accept and believe what cannot be proved. We want more than to accept what the leader says.

Faith inspired crusades where streets are covered with blood. Faith encourages flying airplanes into buildings.

Religious faith is not the only source of atrocity. Faith in the eventual classless society supports concentration camps. Faith in the superiority of race supports genocide.

Doubt is a virtue. Ask yourself if your belief can be justified. Ask yourself if you may be wrong. Doubt is an inspiration to learning and knowledge. Faith is a virtue to the ignorance. Be kind and ask questions is a much better guide to a decent world than faith.

david f,
Blind faith is the enemy of reason, but my faith as a Christian is largely based on reason.

I note David has faith in his world view, can he give a reason to make sacrifice? To give it away with no expectation of personal profit. That is faith.

Meanwhile check this compilation re the nature of true faith as distinct from the essentially childish (even infantile) beliefs in all of the usual self-consoling cultic nonsense about the mythical Jesus.
http://beezone.com/wide-stacks-many-topics/faith-1.html

Related references:
http://www.beezone.com/beezones-main-stack/authority_certainty_freedom_part1_edit.html

http://www.dabase.org/up-5-2.htm

http://www.aboutadidam.org/readings/birthday_message/index.html