"Well, I think that you over think many things, even if it makes sense and is understandable. I highly doubt average people think that deeply about this."
That is huge part of the problem, people don't think enough about religious or political ideology. I don't think I'm overthinking it at all, this should be a standard observation and process for anyone who looks at any ideology, especially religion. It's a serious subject that requires serious thinking, not just for non-believers but for believers themseves before they decide to take up that ideology as a belief system and then use it to Govern their lives, social and moral conduct.
"I don't believe it damages anyone unless its enforced, more that its restricting things in society. And some of these restrictions, I think, are not that horrid and may benefit people more than they realize."
Well as I explained religion is enforced on a large scale, and as you yourself agreed, it is forced on children by parents as a lifestyle choice. Ultimately, it's still being forced, why not let them decide for themselves when they reach 18? All parents have to do is teach them what is right and wrong and some other basics in our western society, and they can do that without using the influence of religion or political ideology.
You also say it restricts things in society then go on to say that parts of religion in law may benefit some people? Isn't it my choice to decide for myself if something will benefit me or not instead of someone or some group deciding for me? You say "...communism, suppresses peoples' individuality and freedoms...", that's esentially what these religious groups are doing, and people don't ask them to do it.
However, I agree with you that religious ideology isn't the only ideology on the block influencing people. People are influenced by a variety of ideologies. I did make a deviation for this, have a look here:
[link]The difference between religious and political ideology is that religious ideology becomes so personal and engrained within an indvidual it can very rarely be undone. By nature religion is not meant to be questioned or changed, its teachings are supposed to remain static and unflexable because it's the word of 'God'.
On the other hand political ideology is constantly changing within society as people change. The political ideology will succeed or fail based on how it's implamented and by who. When people have a bad experience with a political ideology, whether it's Libertarian Capitalism or Satlinist Communism etc, the individual has learned that ideology has failings and so become warey of it. Which results in the ideology having to be changed and reinvent itself to a degree to attract followers again if its to be used to Govern the state and order social life (All political ideologies do this, no matter which ones).
Religion doesn't reinvent itself like that, it remains static and unflexable, it's followers just carry on following it regardless of what happens to them because of it or the world around them. They see it as some act of god to teach them a lesson or some act of the devil, and they actively carry on trying to implament an ideology that doesn't do any good for society.
Furthermore, most political ideologies don't hold society back, very rarely has a political ideology stagnated or regressed a society. The only examples I can currently think of, though there may be more, is Cambodia and Pol Pot-style Communism, North Korea and to a lesser extent modern political ideologies with religious influence such as U.S. Conservatism and Christian Democrat parties in western Europe. Which again brings me back to religion holding society back.
Religion has been here for a long time and it is a outdated way of ordering and governing society that needs to be left in the past where it belongs. We've got the point we're at technologically and socially because of modifying European Liberalism and enlightenment of the last 300 years. With more education more people become aware they were living in ignorance and darkness, if it was left completely upto the religious groups we'd still be in the dark ages.
So, religion will cause problems for and regression of society as long as its taken seriously, even if it was followed just by moderates. Though this doesn't mean political ideology is perfect, because it isn't; it can limit freedoms and rights like religion, but unlike religion political ideology can and does change and reinvent itself, and therein lies the difference.