Probably the biggest factor in me losing my Christian upbringing was when I came to the realization that it was ridiculous to believe an all-powerful God could not prevent wars fought in his name.

For thousands of years men have been fighting in the name of God, because their youth was spent being indocrinated into the same religion as their parents, and they are now convinced their God is the right one, and more importantly, that he is on their side and will protect them in battle.

Religion does more to divide than it does to unite. In the Middle East the division of Jews, Christians and Muslims has brought a never-ending hatred of others that blows up into wars every few years.

This week’s terrorist attack from Hamas, a radical Muslim group against the Jewish state of Israel, is just the latest indication that God is powerless.

Taking your time to pray for Israel will be just as effective as all those millions of prayers sent to different gods asking for relief from the Covid pandemic. It’s not hard to imagine that millions of people of all religions were sending their most fevered prayers during the Covid outbreak, asking God to have mercy. Yet here we are, four years later, millions of people dead, and they’re still dying.

Want to really help stop wars like the ones in the Middle East? Then stop going to church and believing in a man-made construct that is designed to promote tribes, not world peace.