Does religion unite or divide people, why?

Question

StrangerByTheDay · Accepted Answer

Unfortunately my dear, in my own opinion, it is dividing people.
I hate it when it does that.
Especially here in Lebanon.
Religion should be bringing people closer together, instead, I feel like the way it is being taught is the problem.
I don't practice myself, but I am not sure a Holly Book mentions you cannot love someone from another religion, or with a different skin color!!!
Who literally said "If you are Christian, you cannot marry a muslim" or the other way around?
I believe Religion teaches us how to love and respect, good and bad, right and wrong.
It teaches "Love"
It doesn't say "Divide"
But again, who am I to say what is wrong or right?
I don't have the right to judge.
Personally, I am good the way I am, I don't practice.
For me, the decision goes for my future wife whether she wants me to follow her religion or does not care as long as I love her and respect.
How about you my dear? what do you think? how do you feel about it?
I honestly feel in few words, it is exactly like politics: dividing and parting :-(

ladsin · Accepted Answer

It's very polarizing. It's only recently that the religious in the civilized countries have stopped trying to kill anyone who believed in a different religion. Religious beliefs are good at uniting a particular in group, so long as you accept the religion, but if you don't believe, or believe differently it's quite horrific.

klokje · Accepted Answer

I like the Church and Christians. But my mother is not into it and that is a problem to me. I love it so much I do not understand not all people go to the church or become Christians. Yet perhaps many like me have no support from close once to do so and you feel bad about it as you do not know how much and it seems to be a problem that can not be even solved if you have no support at all and close people and family is not supporting you in any way when it comes to Christians and the Church. If you suffered you know how much to even more see how great the church is because they tell you stories to hate the church so you do not know about the church for what it truly is.

jennifer_bloom · Accepted Answer

It depends on the person. some religious people are gracious and loving to all unconditionally because of their religious beliefs while others will avoid or alienate themselves from those who don't think the same way as them. Most religious people are in between - their religion makes them nicer to others and more accepting and welcoming of others - but at the same time - it also on rare occasions causes them to reject certain people. When Jesus was on earth he accepted tax collectors and prostitutes but was also fighting against the pharisees.

loveslongnails · Answer

Seriously? I found this list on the internet. I can't swear by it, nor have I fact checked it thoroughly enough, but even if it's exaggerated, I have to believe the numbers are still ridiculous. Here it is:
The Crusades: 6,000,000
Thirty Years War: 11,500,000
French Wars of Religion: 4,000,000
Second Sudanese Civil War: 2,000,000
Lebanese Civil War: 250,000
Muslim Conquests of India: 80,000,000
Congolese Genocide (King Leopold II): 13,000,000
Armenian Genocide: 1,500,000
Rwandan Genocide: 800,000
Eighty Years' War: 1,000,000
Nigerian Civil War: 1,000,000
Great Peasants' Revolt: 250,000
First Sudanese Civil War: 1,000,000
Jewish Diaspora (Not Including the Holocaust): 1,000,000
The Holocaust (Jewish and Homosexual Deaths): 6,500,000
Islamic Terrorism Since 2000: 150,000
Iraq War: 500,000
US Western Expansion (Justified by "Manifest Destiny"):20,000,000
Atlantic Slave Trade (Justified by Christianity): 14,000,000
Aztec Human Sacrifice: 80,000
AIDS deaths in Africa largely due to opposition to condoms: 30,000,000
Spanish Inquisition: 5,000
TOTAL: 195,035,000 deaths in the name of religion.

VegetaSSB · Answer

It divides people, and is the main form of division and more primary one that have come to exist in this world, but nowadays as less and less people are religious so the occultist elite and parasitic aliens are resorting more to politics, environmentalism, economics and so on to divide people, but the reality is that they always have to try to keep people divided by any means possible, because if one day everyone is united against them the big Truman show concentration camp state of things will be over once and for all.

Jjpayne · Answer

It's tricky. There politics, different churches with different beliefs, different demographics, different cities with different cultures. There are so many options and just more and more confusion. I like to stick with the Bible. It has many translations but stick with something like the esv or niv. And check this video out

aicarg · Answer

I personally feel and believe that it's how one uses beliefs in weather they wish to have it unite or divide people. In times of suffering or joy in sharing and strengthening those in faith - sure, it can unite a community. But when denominations come in or debates from against varrying practices/ideologies - it can sure cause a division.

wondluv27 · Answer

religion is actually supposed to unite people since everyone is believing in god. and i am pretty sure that god wanted all people to be as brothers and sisters without any conflicts and i am pretty sure he ordered this in all religions. so why do we differenciate between people because of their religion, when all religions order people for the same things?

Nik1hil · Answer

i used to be hardcore HINDU.
then i realised this that religion breed pain suffering and divides people..
and i realised the teaching of the god.. in HINDUISM.. said love, peace is essential..
and i realised that ATHEISM is what is helping world attain goal for what my religion stood for..
i still believe in my GOD , but now i support ATHEISM.
RELIGIONS are governed by people and people have agenda and they use religions to achieve their agenda no matter what price does it comes at

HuangNova · Answer

The question isn't about religion its about how the person perceives other religions. If you follow any religion properly they all say to love one another. Yet there is still hate and discrimination. This is based more on how one is raised and how they perceive others.

chrisv · Answer

Religion is founded on, thrives on... and continues to exist on... Fear, intimidation and manipulation.

It cannot unite people because it excludes many who they claim don’t fill their pecululiar agenda. Like gays, transgender, divorced people and opposing faiths.

Nicms · Answer

I'd say they mostly divide us, just because people tend to hold onto beliefs like it's all that they have. And they tend to center their identity to those beliefs so any challenge to that is an attack on them as a person. So long run it causes more social strife than unification

nmutuAki · Answer

Religion unites and divides. If you are, for example, Catholic, you will be united with other people that follow the same beliefs as you, it creates a sense of relation within your own religious community, but it can also divide you from people with other beliefs.

So long as you can accept other people for what they believe in then that's a step in the right direction.

davidrees · Answer

Much like political parties these days, it's just a more socially acceptable version of gang membership. It's all about in group loyalty and protecting those from your group and attacking those who don't belong to your group.

YourNextEX · Answer

Religions are like political ideologies because they are fundamentally ethical systems. Generally, like modern American liberalism and conservatism, they divide people. However, to adherents, everyone should concert to that ideology, leading to unification and a better world.

All my Catholic friends want me to be Catholic, not agnostic. All of my liberal friends want me to be liberal, not conservative. They are similar.

Lambert1996 · Answer

It always think it depends on the person, some people dont really think to much about it and some just take it to far. Sometime i imagine like its like a gang or something

Dragonman558 · Answer

It depends, some people are complete idiots and can't deal with people from other religions, but some are normal and it will bring them closer to people from other religions

SirRexington · Answer

It unites small groups together but separates them from the rest of the world. In the grand scheme of things, religion is a major wall built to prevent people from getting along as it further divides us into different categories.

sawno · Answer

Both, religions tend to be tribalistic. They unite people of the same religious tribe and devide them from outsiders.

Whatthefluff · Answer

Divides. Everyone has individual beliefs and not everyone can accept that. We encourage harsh judgements in our society; we are not a society meant to thrive but to just survive.

FinalVow · Answer

divide because it forces people to try and conform. the 2 highest causes of wars and bloodshed to date. religion and love

sharkman154 · Answer

Divide. Even within faiths there is division between the zealots and less strong believers. Then you have the division between Faith's also. It unites on the small scale but divides as you zoom out.

Hans222 · Answer

I think it unites people but I dislike when people become extremist. You have to be tolerant towards other religions otherwise things go wrong :-(

PrincessProtection · Answer

Well both in all honesty. Those that hate that religion will be divided, but those who believe in that faith are united by it.

Outofthegrey · Answer

Both. If it only did one or the other there would be no reason for debate on whether or not religion is a good or bad thing, we'd just have an answer.

YourTypicalSomebody · Answer

It unites people in the same religion however divides who aren't although the case should be that not the division but rather a neutral leaning towards a proper relationship with people in other religions

pizzalovershouse · Answer

can an can't depends on if oeopl e push their strong religious beliefs on others I've had religious friends but only a few don't push how you should believe in God on me a others he believed that there are many was of believing

Noora1 · Answer

The problem is not the religion but the believers who think their religion is better than others.

Salmon4056 · Answer

I think it depends on the religion and person. I'm a Christian and I just choose to love others, but I won't unite with their beliefs nor actions

Iamagoodguy · Answer

Completely depends on religion
If it’s 2 religion that acsept each other and can compliment each other it helps but if it’s 2 religion that are different no it completely goes to shit violence erupts holy wars happen

Max_winner1 · Answer

Divide. Look at religious communities. Don't think they have Jews and Muslims living beside one another.

pingiluv · Answer

I definitely think they divide people :/ sad but true

Amanda__Murphy · Answer

Divide. I think a lot of worlds problems would be solved if there was no religion

Pizza_lover159 · Answer

I dont think that religion can devide or unite people. It doesn't matter. I have catholic friends , ortodox christian , atheist etc. So its the personality that unite us.

slimsims · Answer

It’s a common ground. And because of all the different kinds and branches of all religions, there are various ways to interpret them. Plus everyone is either an expert or could care less

charie · Answer

religion it does divide people because of different beliefs at all :) and people used religion in political campaign to gain sympathy from people

tartaarsaus · Answer

It's quite polarising. On one hand, it really unites the people that believe in said religion. On the other hand, it divides them from non-believers.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Mostly divide. But nothing divides like politics. Bombs drop for nations resources, oil and political might over nations and people blaming each others's party for the ruin of the country at home. 😂

Ezio_Sub17 · Answer

***"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other)"***

Djaay · Answer

Religion is man-made traditional values included usually hid behind the Bible to legitimize its pagan belief. Religion divides you from God and unites you with the devil.

TinaSP · Answer

it should unite but people keep using its name for their own agendas.

jasco · Answer

seems to divide people most of the time its like everyone out of that religion is welcome sort of and everyone in it is united in some way

DankMemeage420 · Answer

Divides, just look at the world today and the past. Religion is one of the most polarizing things there is

NYCQuestions1976 · Answer

Religion can do both. Uniting and polarizing. That's why I'm a Jedi.

Timdambaugh · Answer

I believe the greatest evil the world faces is religion. It is divisive, oppressive and deceptive

ZeussLightningBolt · Answer

It unites people of the same faith, divides people of opposing faiths

Jrob10897 · Answer

Depends on the country and religion every place would have a different answer based on a lot of factors

MidnightCowboy · Answer

Divide, look at the number of wars that religion started.  Also, religion is used to spread fear and control people

Jisoo_lover5683 · Answer

It unites people of the same religion but divides most who hold different religions

oscluu · Answer

Unite the few whilst dividing the many in my opinion.

Pineapple_Boy · Answer

For most part unite, well that's from my observation.

legalboxers · Answer

depends if they are the type to shove their pov down your throat

jaclyn88 · Answer

Divide. Lol I recently got high in the parking lot of a church... my spiritual beliefs are different than most.

Seppelson · Answer

Religion was always the reason for wars and genocide so it's just for dividing people. It'sone oft the worst inventions humans ever did

Nuray · Answer

Both.. The religion unites certain group of people with same believes, but marks the anothers as "foreigners".

CornKing · Answer

Its a divider that ruined the middle east for years

opurba · Answer

Both... It's all about mentality of the race.

thottiana · Answer

Divide. So many wars were caused by it

Dchrls78104 · Answer

Religion unites. Religions divide.

allylew · Answer

I feel it goes both ways

mrsterlingarcher · Answer

That depends on what the people practice.

ZacNashDaFlash · Answer

I think it does a bit of both

whoop12345 · Answer

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Does religion unite or divide people, why?

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