Serious barriers created by Religion

Religion was a tradition first, just recently became a culture for the preservation of one's identity, and now it is a matter of faith induced. Religion has always been pointing out a way for deliverance from people's deepest fears and claims to reach the unacquainted truth, while the purpose of life, in my view, is to find the truth, that is within ourselves and reach salvation by doing selfless deeds and contribute to the betterment of the world; doing something good for others and this world, so that kindness reigns supreme in a world full of vices.

I hate to say this, but religion has become a brand nowadays. A brand of beliefs to say. And whether the person really believes in the codes and norms of their religion or not, is not guaranteed. The way religion is misleading our modern-day world, our lives are being controlled by fear and temptations, by people and organizations with an ulterior motive, selfishness of people seeking name or power, and commercializing the "brand" of religion they so blindly believe in and their desire to dominate the world by making others convert to their "brand". Ethnic minorities are also being affected by this directly as people with more reach in power and numbers are in some of the dirtiest plays of conversion games. And while one religion can not stand the other, they turn a blind eye to the virtues in the teachings given by one another, let alone remain in harmony with one another. Religion has become only a tool for the gratification of the sinful than a spiritual practice of virtues.