Ray, there are plenty of religions already and I know that perhaps your point of view is that people keep comming up with different traditions but we must remember that each person has their own tradition aside from the one they follow with their main orgnaization.
Such as christians, while they have similar belifes it is safe to say that they all worship differently behind closed doors but for the sake of sharing spirituality they form a group such as christianity, wicca or any other religion where like minded people can go. Are there enough religions? I don't think so. the more choices there are the better. It allows people to truly choose and feel like they are at home with people that feel and think the same way.
Religion is a tool used to deliver spirituality (your closeness to god) and there can never be too many.
As for the people who speak ill of the religion, please work on your own fait and practices before you try and speak of ours. You say we're going to hell for our practices then you turn around and tell your followers to not pass judgement and that let he who is without sin cast the first stone. If you don't help make this world a better place then you are not part of the solution and if you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem. Step aside and let people find god in their own way.
As for the question (my apologies) I do everything at my altar. From making jewelry, to my rituals. Sending healing energy. I use my portable altar for readings. What it is is just a consecrated altar cloth that i can toss on any counter top and magickally transform it.
I make jewelry, magickal items, readings, write spells, excecute spellwork, do my brainwork, meditate, read, study or even eat at times.
There is no limit as to what you can do in YOUR sacred space. My entire home is sacred and treated like a temple. My bed where i receive healing is an altar as well. As soon as I get on it my brain switches on to receiving the healing energy i need. - So your altar is a place where you can focus, where you can switch on your spirituality to help it grow and so it can be applied to your entire life. You can learn to make incense on your altar, which will introduce to you the vibations and uses of herbs that god made and in turn get you close to him/her. You can read something on spirituality this in itself is a strong method of blessing your altar for the purpose you intend to use it for. In your reading you will vibrate to your thoughts and these vibrations will be imprinted at your altar and when you sit there it will eventually just switch you and make you ready for magickal workings.
This is scientifically proven that our bodies react to odors, the place around us and also sounds. So come up with a little ritual before you do anything. I for instance keep a bell on my altar to cleanse the area ni a quick way. I sit down, ring the bell three times as I pray for the area to be cleansed and I be made ready for my workings. I keep sage as well and an incens burner so after or before the bell (i do it interchangably) i light the sage and just breath in the scent and let it just cleanse the area further.
I ground and center myself and get to work. After a long time of doing this, hearing a bell will immidiately change your mode from mundane to magickal. Your focus changes even as you smell the sage.
Even eating at my desk gives you the opportunity to look at what you are eating. i sit here sometimes and send energy to the animals and plants that gave their life to me, to the earth and through them I worship god. So worshipping god is not limited to praying to him directly but being appreciative and loving all her creations. Even loving each other without judgment is worshipping Diety. To tell someone who is offering up their idea of worship that they are wrong is extrely unethical. So don't buy into anything that people tell you. Any opportunity that brings you closer to the devine spirit is an opportunity oworth taking. I feel that some of the comments here are not at all a step towards god but a step backwards but i'm okay with that.
Let your creativity and intuition guide you to tell you what you can do at your altar. No need to limit yourelf..if it feels right, do it. It's your altar you know what is respectful and disrespectful within it.
My altar can hold food while I eat and think of life but I do not appreciate visitors to place their cups or beer there as if it was just another table. There's a difference here. One is a magickal act, an act that will help me grow while the othe is just setting down an item that has no place there. Notice that it's not only what you do but how you do it. Yes you can have a full plate setting, or an iPod or even an ash tray but what makes the difference is that your plate is your eating time to feel closeness to gods creations and think of life, your iPod can have relaxing medation music and a big no no might be