For example, I would have to agree that removing christianity from the southern states of the US would be beneficial, I live in the bible belt, but NOT necessary or even preferrable at this point in time. I say this, because this is in the identity of most Southerners. Without the church to slowly hand down moderate ideas to the congregation, they'd skip the "God" argument and forget all about tolerance and we'd have a radical movement of gay-bashing and abortion bombing. What I am suggesting, is that the people of "faith", more accurately, the silent majortiy in America, still harbor fear and mistrust toward modern values concerning controversial subjects, most of which misunderstood and in need of address. They apply their own moral positions, through the church, to God. A good example of this, is that abortion, in the Bible, is not punishable by death, or even that serious of a crime before the eyes of Yahweh. The punishment is a fine, levied by the appropriate minucipal judges. Yet fundementalist Christians wish death and destruction of abortion doctors, while citing scripture as their motivation. That said, I'll restate that they apply their own morals to their ideal "will of God". The church very well may be the only thing passifying them in the face of changing standards, and encouraging tolerance, despite the positions taken by the clergy in protest to what they deem "immoral" by their own standards.
I use a personal anecdote to form this OPINION, as one of my good friends is a hardline christian. Once, he said to me, as a few Christian friends nodded in agreement, "If I weren't a god fearing man, I'd kill those doctors myself."
A man like Paul Hill is not proof that religion causes the bombing of abortion clinics, but that people do evil or misguided things and use religion as an excuse.
You are free to disagree, of course, this is only my assessment of the community in which I live.