factor

It depends on how you look at it. To people as individuals it has a positive affect. People need to know their lives have meaning. The Church or religion as a whole has a negative affect on the world because each religion wields it's immense power and influence towards the outcome of countless decisions that should be off limits to them.

yes. i am in a country where christianity is very much observed. that whatever the catholic church says, people listen to everything. some don't even think.. they just believe. for example, about birth control. church is againsts it because church leaders say it's killing a life. then, when too much population is there... it will result to too much poverty. that's a fact that people don't accept. they always blame the government when it comes to poverty. but the thing is, overpopulation will result to poverty. there's confusion between the government and the church.

I think any calming factor is a positive one. I think that churches that moderate the extremes are a positive factor but those that foment physical violence because the disagree are bad. The christian church is supposed to teach what God is about. God is about love of friend and foe alike and judgement isnt mans but God's. So if churches are living the Bible then they are positive.

I don't see anything wrong about going to church or not going. It doesn't matter where am at. As long you're a good person, you're bless and have nothing to fear in life and can still be with god.