I'm a Christian who occasionally hangs out with the secular humanist group at a pub here in town. And I was thinking today about all the times I've heard religion called a crutch, not just by this group, but even by myself back in my atheist days. The idea that we need some intangible force in out lives to make the passing time easier. That we have someone to turn to when you don't have any support. something that provides a framework for our existence.

And then I thought, why would anyone look down on someone who needs a crutch? it's a good metaphor applied incorrectly. when you break your leg, a crutch provides support. It makes your days easier and less painful. It provides a framework for your body. But no one goes around laughing at people who are literally on crutches (except maybe in high school). No one's out there screaming, "haha, you need a crutch just to get around! If you weren't so weak, you would suck it up and walk without it!" of course not. Walking on a broken leg without crutches would be immensely painful, and maybe it would never heal correctly, or be the leg its supposed to be, or ever again be put to the purpose it was meant to be put, all because some asshole was mocking you into giving up your crutch.

In the same way, I think religion itself might be a good metaphor applied incorrectly. At their core they are all instructions on how to live our lives the right way, each according to our beliefs. But look at the way people use their religion! War, terror, forcing their beliefs on other people (Christianity in the American government for one! ), the subjugation of women and other races. Let's stop using our wonderful, useful crutches to beat one another up with! That isn't and never should be the point.