Abigail:

"Religion has great benefits for a society and for individuals, even if there is no creator God."

And these are?

Well, where I live, there is about 70% atheists and 30% believers. I have a couple of believers as friends. From my experience, no, they are not better people than we are.

Grant:

"I'm not sure if this has been discussed here before, but how isn't atheism as religion? It has to be accepted on faith, because we can't prove there isn't a magical space god that created everything. I happen to have more faith in atheism than Christianity, but ultimately its still faith."

I also believe there isn't a 1000km wide pink doughnut orbiting Alpha Centauri. Is that a religion too?

BTW, "magical space god that created everything". How was HE created?

All that said, universe, its beginning, human mind and consciousness and self-awarnes, these all are very fascinating mysteries and "God" is a very tempting and easy answer. But it is pretty much likely wrong.