god is not great how religion poisons everything

chapters 2 & 3
well this is a struggle.  a tough read - am I absorbing any of this?  I don't feel like he is tying his points together at all or am I just distracted tonight?  Somewhere in each chapter, usually towards the end, he'll say and that's how "religion poisons everything".  How does it?? I thought the book would be written more from a philosophical stance, but seeing that he is a journalist, perhaps this was the wrong assumption.  Okay, it was the wrong assumption, I am realizing this as I am typing this.  He provides examples from the places that he has been, factual experiences he has had and information about religions and religious leaders to illuminate how religion complicates things and instigates violence and hatred but as I said he needs to draw it together at the end...so what I am saying is....WHAT?? I find myself trying to draw my own conclusions; piece it all together in my mind.  And yes, that is what a journalist does - presents the facts and we are left to our own devices to judge. He mentions places, religions, people I have never heard of which leads to further difficulty in understanding.  Just a little description would help!  And the vocab -  apostate, gallantry, suppurating??? come again...

Must work on my vocab!