Human culture has both caused and prevented all of those things at times, religion is not a thing of itself but only a part of human culture and it therefore partakes of all the prejudices and follies of the wider culture. The claim that religion stems from an outside source like god, is not one that I think any on this site would subscribe to. Therefore it has no special role in the growth of human thinking, except that by claiming to have 'given' truth, it does, (and by its nature must,) act to support ultra conservative views, so that it can if you wish be seen as a brake on human thinking. If that is good or not depends on how conservative your views are.

probably added to the above.