That is radicalism. Moderation in everything is key. They applied to Islam, which promotes peace and toleration of others (nice going Taliban). That is what happens in most cases of "religion causing wars and evils". It is people twisting scripture just so that it fits their own sick goals. The Crusades? The kings wanted that land. The Holocaust? Hitler needed an easy scapegoat. 9/11? Al Queda needed a good excuse to keep the people of their country from turning against them.
You completely ignored the point. If religion did not exist, Al Queda would never have been able to give the radicals an incentive to go and bomb the WTC because frankly, the only reason why they would go and kill themselves was because of the promise that it was what god wanted and it would grant them eternity in heaven.
With virgins. It would be very hard to find someone who hated America enough to go and end their existence on the side of a skyscraper.
As for Frank's point, he is right. The Puritain ideals of hard work and unity would help the colonies to unite against the British during the 1700s. Without these ideals, we would likely still be a set of British colonies.
It doesn't take religion to understand the value of hard work and unity. And it wasn't religion that made the colonies discontent with Britain, it was their lack of support. Canada never followed the American route to autonomy from Britian, and we essentially accomplished the same goals without the war.
