Be wary of religion, it's proven to be a very effective meme. "Believers will be saved! (carrot) Non-believers will perish! (stick) The Bible is the Word of God! (codified memotype to resist mutation)"
You don't have to believe everything that is written. It has only survived this long because it's effective at generating believers (parents convert children, evangelists convert adults, and the destitute convert themselves). It's a massive chain-letter for the soul.
You may be suprised that I agree with you. We should all be wary of religion. That is why Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
It is every persons responsibility to establish a relationship with God. Considering the influence Jesus Christ has had on human history, one can only attribute ignorance of His life and teaching, to the influence of evil.p> What we see is a willful ignorance that can only be explained by supernatural forces. Who can excuse the intellectual ignorance of the academic community as well as the journalistic community, when it comes to knowing what the Bible says on any given topic. 82% of Americans claim to be believers in Jesus Christ, and yet when an ethical issue comes before the public, the scriptural position is purposefully ignored.
It is easy to get a copy on computer and search for any word or topic in moments, yet supernatural forces cause there to be a resistance to do such a simple task.
Religion is of man, God wants a relationship. This is why He chose to become a man, perfectly capable of relating to us in every way. Jesus is not some nebulous force outside time and is alive today as a glorified Man in heaven. He walked the face of the earth for 33 years. Check out what He has to say, and why much of the world spends Sunday seeking Him.