[wildfireskunk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Ages_(historiography) - For those who need a history lesson

Although Christianity was largely a direct factor in the coming of the dark ages and the surpression of intellectuals during the period, there's probably an argument to say that as a whole religion has done a lot of good over the course of human history in bringing people together and getting them to work towards common causes, as well as being key in the creation of earlier large empires. Hell, even modern ones have religion to thank for helping them be somewhat stable during their creation (although they've also caused chaos, but hey-ho).

I'd say it's give and take, but without it I doubt we'd be any further ahead than we are now. I still think organised religion is all bs personally though ^^