There are many forms of prejudices around the world but religious prejudice is number one, perhaps even more so than color. One of the first things people ask one another when they first meet is what religion they are. In some families, it is shunned upon if you marry out of your religion, and certain religions are just not even to be considered in marriage. One may not even accept someone as a friend because of his or her religion. Religion is probably the biggest form of differences between people. Even within the same religion we have different categories of religious practices. What would the world be like without religion?
To say the world would be a better place without religion would be an understatement. Without religion, we would only be compared in terms of race, gender and perhaps ethnic background. More so than our personalities or cultural backgrounds, it is our religious beliefs that keep us apart. Why? Because they are often our strongest, most firm beliefs. Also, many religions have contradicting rules to live by, which just adds to the tension between religions.
Religion is the thing that can keep people, who otherwise would be almost identical in all aspects of life, apart. Muslims and Hindus are a great example of this. At one point Hindus and Muslims lived together in India. They worked together, shared some views on how families should be raised and treated, and had some similar cultural beliefs. The only difference was their religion. One religion prayed to Allah and followed his rules while the other prayed to Krishna or Ram. This one difference created a rift between the two societies. A rift that grew so big that separation was the only answer. This rift has just kept getting bigger and bigger throughout the years. Every once in a while, one group will murder hundreds of innocent people of the other religion to prove some point still unknown. Many Hindus forbid their children to marry Muslims in particular, and vice versa. Would these two groups hate each other at all if religion didn't exist? They would get along great with each other if religion weren't keeping them apart.
What is religion? Religion is a book. A book supposedly filled with Gods words telling us how to live in order to be worth in Gods eyes, worthy to be with God in the after life. What proof is there that God said these words? Religion is essentially man made. We, people, believe that God said these words hundreds of years ago, but it is very possible that hundreds of years ago, some guy wrote down a bunch of rules he felt the world should follow. Some more guys followed in his footsteps and created their own books. Hundreds of years later we are now following the rules written in those books, thinking we are following the words of God. Assuming one God said the words in the different religious books, why has he or she got different, sometimes contradictory (depending on what book you read) rules in them? Also, why would God create different religions? Even if there was more than one God in the world, why would they make such contradictory views in different religions knowing that their people would fight because of it? What real purpose does religion serve to God? The more you analyze the connection between religion and God, the more you wonder the legitimacy of religion being from God.
Where is the connection between religion and God? Who said that in order to believe in God, you must follow a religion? One can just as easily say "I believe in a God" or "I believe in a higher power" as they would "I'm Catholic" or "I’m Hindu". Why must we define the God we believe in by the religion we follow?
Look throughout our history. How many lives would have been saved if religion had not existed? The Holocaust would not have happened. Muslims and Hindus would be united; as would India and Pakistan. Jewish and Muslim people would be one and living peacefully right now. Natives would be accepted more readily and would, perhaps, have been better treated. Prejudice would still exist in the world, but there would be one less thing to be prejudice about. People can find differences and contrasts amongst people within their religion, and they do. However, differences between religions would cease to exist. One couldn't hate another because they believe in Allah instead of Christ, or vice versa. No one would try to convert you into believing what he or she believes, because we would all believe in one thing – a higher power.
That is what essentially religion is about; believing in a higher power. So why do we all have to have different higher powers? Why not have one higher power with no particular rules to follow other than those that we, ourselves, decide to follow because of our own free will and not religious obligations. One belief united throughout the world that would help us all unite in other ways as well. Just think about it.
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