Xujhan:
My initial reaction to your post is: You ROCK! You totally get the part about science not being evidence for religion and vice-versa. Also, as I understood it (pay attention Nightmare), you wanted people to cultivate their own beliefs, not believe only in themselves or even have unique beliefs. I totally back that up.
Personally, I was raised in a non-religious family and came to my religious beliefs somewhat late in life (read: three months ago). And if you read the "What were you raised as and what are you now?" thread, you'll see I'm not really unique in my choice to follow a different spiritual path than my parents.
I understand, too, what you said about organized religion having the potential to create dangerous jerks, but isn't that a bit like hating government because it has the potential to be tyrannical? Or hating elections because they're vulnerable to being fixed. Or even hating milk because sometimes you leave it out on the counter and it goes bad! You can hate the game, heck, I'd be OK if you hated the players, but for goodness' sake, don't hate the field they play on!
As for oppression of free will: that's only really a problem when religious leaders become corrupt. OK, even if we accept that in the real world in which we live, people will invent new religions or twist existing ones to suit their own agendas, I don't believe it's the religion doing the oppressing! Again, hate the game, hate the players, but the pitch is blameless. Frying pans are inherently heavy, so they're really good for smaking people over the head with, but that's not what they're meant for. I use a frying pan for what it's made for: cooking. In the same way, some people use religion to subdue people, to make them think they're happy or at least will be in some later life. I use it for it's intended purpose: to worship and love my creator and to remember to marvel at the awesomeness of the world. (Religion>frying pans, for sure.)
Also, I totally agree about people choosing their own religion. I chose mine! :P However, I will tell my children what I believe to be the truth about the metaphysical, as my religion requires of me and as I think is right. Every parent tries to teach a child what's right and what's true, right? My non-religious parents taught me that it was OK to believe whatever you believed, but that they believed that religion was just not true. Well, that's fine for them, but not for me. We agree to disagree on that. How lucky I am!
Nightmare: I'm not really sure where your beef is. Frankly, your post reads like you were so anxious to find contradictions in Xujhan's post that you just skimmed over it, reading key words. If you're not going to be broad-minded and open to change, why enter a debate forum?