I find all of your comments very interesting. I too, lost a friend a few years back due to religious beliefs. I believe that religion is an "opiate of the masses" that contributes to the segregation and differences of our society.
As we in the United States have seen in the past year, religious beliefs can be the strongest thing there is. Some people are willing to accept a path that was given to them by whoever it is that they believe in, regardless of the consequences. Some people choose to become a martyr in order to advance or impose their will on someone else. The idea of the poor accepting their lot in life because it will pay off in their next life seems a bit sketchy to me. No one should be told that they are to continue to suffer until they die, then the future will turn bright.