Religion That Uniting People - Essay Example

Very few things in this world can unite people, or divide them, as harshly as religion has done through the world’s history. It seems, almost since man began to realize another being may be out there, man has been fighting over whose idea of that being is correct. More people have been killed, more wars fought, and more hideous deeds done in the name of God, or a religion, than for any other cause. One has only to take a quick glance down history to see the influence of religion all over it. The Crusades, the Catholic Church’s might and power in the Middle Ages, and the constant fight of religious minorities against other religious majorities. Even today, religion is a huge dividing factor between people of conflicting beliefs. While most religions preach tolerance, it seems very few of them are actually able to live out this belief or religious tolerance. And many religions may only differ in one or two beliefs, but the people still cannot accept the differences and live peacefully. Religion is meant to be a uniting force. A spiritual set of guide lines, a common belief in one ruler, or a unified idea of how everything is the way it is. Religion is not meant to divide people as much as it has done through man’s blood stained history. The moral ideas and structures of religions are what make them sound belief systems, and it seems ironic in a way to be “killing in the name of God.” Religion is also controversial in politics, where some people believe a candidate should vote on their religious, instead of sometimes conflicting beliefs. This can lead to an issue however, because there is clearly supposed to be a separation of church and state. Regardless, religions in the world have given many people something to believe in, and this factor can not be diminished in its value. A religion is a set followed guide line for living. It often consists of certain beliefs structured around a main core teaching or deity, often varying in forms or ideas from religion to religion. How a person should live their life, traditions, other practices, and or various cultural ideals all often stem from religions. Often these beliefs contain a belief in one ultimate power, often a creator or creation force. Over the centuries, many different distinct religions have been formed, all adding various ideas and wisdom to the underlying foundation of world religions.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion) Trying to define ideals as sometimes vague as set religions can often times be difficult. As can be setting up an exact definition as to what a religion can be. Some religions may include some things, and others may leave out the parents help sacred to one religion. This can lead to a rough time for anyone trying to come up with a fit definition of what exactly a religion can and can’t be. The Encyclopedia of Religion tries to phase it as: “"In summary, it may be said that almost every known culture involves the religious in the above sense of a depth dimension in cultural experiences at all levels — a push, whether ill-defined or conscious, toward some sort of ultimacy and transcendence that will provide norms and power for the rest of life. When more or less distinct patterns of behaviour are built around this depth dimension in a culture, this structure constitutes religion in its historically recognizable form. Religion is the organization of life around the depth dimensions of experience — varied in form, completeness, and clarity in accordance with the environing culture”( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion). Religions also all developed in different ways. There are many different ideas held as to how religions started and formed. These different ideas mostly cluster around the ideas of religions either as parts of social building, as trying to obtain a higher level of understanding and truth, or that religions are absolutely true. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion) The people who hold religion to the idea of social building, or social construction often see religion as a negative force. They see religion as simply teaching ways of survival, and adapting or dying out when they are not needed any more. Karl Max wrote that “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness"(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion). This exemplifies the idea of religion as a negative force, and simply being part of human nature and nothing supernatural. One of the other ideas of religion is the idea that religion is “progressively true”. This is the idea that religion is part of a greater Truth, and adapts and changes to try to achieve this truth. This idea puts a lot more focuses on divine presence that the previous idea, which contradicts it. Several ideas of this belief can be seen in many modern religions, which often built on each other. Christianity believes in all the prophets of Judaism, and simply adds Jesus. Islam believes in all the affirmations, and adds Mohammad. This adding on style in religions can support the belief that religions adapt or change in order to try to reach this higher level of truth( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion). The third idea about religion is that is should be taken at its word, and it is one hundred percent true. Both Christianity and Judaism accept this belief that their religions are undoubtedly true, and that their teachings are based directly upon the original influence of God upon the world.( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion) In today’s world, there are many different religions. There is some debate over these numbers however. Some Muslims would argue that there are more Muslims in the world than Christians, but these numbers do not reflect this. It also may depend on what each religion considers a “practicing” member. The numbers for current world religions are as follows: 1. Christianity 2.1 billion (see below) 2. Islam 1.3 billion (see below) 3. Non-Adherent (Secular/Atheist/Irreligious/Agnostic/Nontheist) 1.1 billion 4. Hinduism 900 million (see below) 5. Chinese folk religion 394 million (see below) 6. Buddhism 376 million 7. Primal indigenous ("Pagan") 300 million 8. African traditional and diasporic 100 million 9. Sikhism 23 million 10. Juche 19 million 11. Spiritism 15 million 12. Judaism 14 million 13. Baháí Faith 7 million 14. Jainism 4.2 million 15. Shinto 4 million (see below) 16. Cao Dai 4 million 17. Zoroastrianism 2.6 million 18. Tenrikyo 2 million 19. Neo-Paganism 1 million 20. Unitarian Universalism 800,000 21. Rastafari movement 600,000 ( taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion) The shifting around of areas of religious strongholds is also undergoing. Several areas once dominated by Christianity are finding a decrease in Christian members and church goers. However, Christianity continues to expand in other areas of the world, with Christianity and Islam being two of the world’s fasted growing religions. Hinduism is also a strong expanding world wide religion. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion) The belief of religions, if one was to simplify them, often includes “nature and worship of a deity or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life.”( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion). Religious beliefs often include regular moral values that non-religious people would often agree upon however. Religious ideals often conflict with scientific ideas. Where the religious comminute draws knowledge from enlightenment and otherworldly forces, science tends to dwell on studies and tests. This is where the main difference of science and religion lies. Often times in history the ideas of religion and science have greatly conflicted. This can be seen in the Catholic Church’s dominance of scientific study during various periods of time in Medieval Europe. Religion also meets the world of philosophy in many places. Religion often tries to answer many of the questions philosophy brings to mind. In mysticism, religious enlightenment is often thought to be brought about by yoga, fasting, or the use of mind expanding drugs. Religions also may contain ideas of spirituality, however many people can make a definite line between the beliefs in good and evil and heaven and hell and the “bureaucratic structure and creeds of a particular organized religion.”( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion). More ancient religions, such as the polytheistic religions of Greece and Rome, and not often referred to as mythology. Some people believe all religion somewhere is based off of older religions which to us now may seem as simply myths. However, a case can be made that many of today’s religions drew from ancient mythology, or that the ideas of several religious stories drew from more ancient ideas. One example can be made for Noah and the flood, of which can be seen in a much earlier form, the Epic of Gilgamesh. This connection can show the linkage between the ideas of water cleansing land, and that the idea may not have been unique to the Old Testament story in the Bible. Religions also try to answer questions that may be posed by cosmology, or questions about life and our place in the world. Questions such as “Why are we here?”, What are we here for?, and other such deep questions answers can be found in religion. Religious beliefs try to find answers to fit these difficult questions. Religion is only one way however to try to answers these important questions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion). Religion is often a touchy subject. People hold their beliefs very close to them, as they should. And people are often divided strongly about their differences in opinion. But as we can see, many religions borrow from one another, and no real religion is entirely unique. Where many religions all range or stem from the same mythology or main ideas, yet they just often or not cannot seem to get along. However, religion is a very important force in people’s lives. Just the fact that such a force can unite people and give them something to believe in is amazing. Anyone who has ever wondered about something, or just been lost in life, and has found religion as a guidance can testify to the great and healing power of religion. Some people can also vouch for one religion or another, but any religion that teaches moral beliefs and a good strong solid living system has its merits. Any power than can teach people, and try to help people live a better life is something worth discussing. The effects of religion can also not be dismissed. From current religious conflicts in the Middle East, to religious conflicts through time, if something is this powerful it must be understood. Some of the most important conflicts in today’s world are all based on the underlying rocks of religious differences. In order to understand other people, we also need to understand their beliefs. Religion is one such system that gives people something to believe in, and gives them a solid foundation to base their life off of. Such a thing can not be easily dismissed, and should be studied and understood, even by people who themselves do not claim to a certain religion of belief. Read More