Religion as a Moral Frame of Reference

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For one, if someone cannot determine right from wrong, he or she needs education, guidance and encouragement.  Indeed empathy, as a crucial aspect of Emotional Intelligence, also helps us do the right thing by prompting us to step back, reflect on what is going on, and put ourselves in others' shoes.  But these provisions - education, guidance, encouragement and empathy - can be housed in any frame of reference or place of learning, for example, school, sports and workplace.  So this quote is quite correct, we don't quite need religion per se, which I interpret as religion is not our only option.  However, and this is an important however, some people do need religion for such moral reference and learning and religion works perfectly for them.  While this quote may have an undertone of derision vis-a-vis religion, I believe we have to guard against such an undertone.  Millions of people around the world turn to their religion as their saving grace, guidance and protection, and they deserve acknowledgment and respect.