Role of Religion in the World

I've been debating this with my friends on whether religion has a modern use for civilized humanity. 

Whether or not you're religious is irrelevant, I'm speaking of what religion positively or negatively does for our world. In politics? war? morality? Or is it simply a personal notion that has no use for the problems our world needs to solve?

I say religion is a personal notion that every person has the right to practice, but that it shouldn't nor doesn't play a big role in global issues. It actually hinders progression as a society moving into a more modern and equal civilization. We progressed through gay marriage, abortion, equality of race and gender despite religion.

Cons to my position: donations, a modern Pope Francis...(any others you can think of?)

What role do you think religion plays, or lack thereof, in the world?