I don't know. As long as human beings fear death there will be "religion".

And as long as we're alive we're going to fear death, so....

I consider myself a socialist, but most socialists think I'm a douche because I believe in freedom of religion. I believe anyone should be allowed to worship anything they want however they want...as long as they're not hurting anyone or themselves.

"As long as they're not hurting anyone or themselves" can be a bit of a gray area, yeah (the burqa-debate, for instance...)...but it's the best we have.

And it seems if someone is told they can't practice how the want- or is told to practice differently- the more they're going to believe their fight against you is pre-ordained and that God himself is on their side.

I think this is part of the reason many "Nibiru"-debates I get into on this site become so "vicious". Many (not all) of the "Nibiru"-believers are Christian Fundamentalists who believe "Nibiru" is prophecy. It's why they fight so hard. They think they're fighting for the word of God himself.

I'll say this though- in the course of that fight someone on "my" side suggested, hypothetically, that to finish the debate one and for all we should take away the "Nibiru"-believers' right to worship....I'd say "hell no".

There's no more vicious war than religious-war.

Some people would have it that way though. People have been trying to tell other people how/what/when to worship for centuries. Look at the Crusades. Look at the Reformation in England, ect...

I recall reading that one of the reason's Rome was as successful as it was for so long was when it conquered a "territory" it was very liberal as far as allowing the conquered peoples to worship as they wished.

Why create the fuss?

I don't know. The only thing I believe in is randomness and coincidence.

To quote a character from my favorite show "The Wire":

"'Deserve's' got nuthin' to do with it..."