Eroica--
I never really *hated* organized religion, or any religion in general. I have a dislike of people who can't leave me alone and try to force their religious opinions on me though. I had to get over it fast though. I got an uber-Baptist roommate when I was 19, and we lived together for 2 years. We'd never met until the day we moved in together, and the first thing she asked me after introductions is where I went to church. We had our moments but we both learned a lot about religious tolerance and we remain good friends ten years later.
It's true lots of bad things have been done in the name of religion. But I don't think atheists get a pass on this; the non-religious people of the world have a few skeletons in the closet (lest we forget Stalin was allegedly an atheist, if you want an easy example... plenty of people were sent to the GULAG for practicing their religion of choice). All people have a capacity for good and bad, regardless of religion. Religion is an easy cloak to wear for someone with political ambition and/or a ruthless killing streak because it taps into people's emotions and they are more likely to follow along. I started viewing religion as a tool used for various purposes, some good and some bad. In a way I guess I think of religion the way people think of screwdrivers. I could use a screw driver for its intended purpose, or I could use it to stab someone to death. The screwdriver itself is not responsible for the actions I take (Right. Screwdrivers don't kill people, people kill people. Where's Charlton Heston to tell us we can have his screwdriver when we pry it from his cold, dead fingers?
) Likewise, any religion can be turned to any purpose you can think of.