Susan wrote:
<<< It is a problem because of the conflicts, misuse of power, a belief that there is a spirit out there somewhere controlling, listening, etc etc. >>>

You seem to be saying some sort of belief in a creator being is the cause of conflicts and misuse of power. It was not the belief in a creator God that caused the conflicts and misuse of power in Stalinist Russia. More likely I suggest wars are driven by man’s greed and lust for power – and they see people’s belief in God as a vehicle for recruiting the masses.

The belief in the ‘golden rule (do unto others) and that good deeds will be rewarded in an afterlife are almost universal spiritual concepts – when correctly adhered to have been a powerful force for good.