Why is religion such a dividing force in this world and the basis of almost all wars ever fought?

Answer 1

Not all religion is. Think of the peaceful ones. The ones that do not take part in any wars whatsoever.

Only false religion is devicive.

Answer 2

Actually this divide is by race, as the races follows different reigions it shows/pop-up like a divide due to religion.

If you see the world, it is like Europe (includes US, as they went to US from Britain) vs Arabs. Judes Vs Arabs. India Vs Pakistan, as India divided East Pakistan from Pakistan. This shows the reason for the divide. Either it is business or race or personal ego.

As the parties opposing each other follow different faiths it projects as if it is a fight between religions, even though the basic reason is different.

If you go to South America, you will not find the religious divide. If you come to South India, you will not find the religious divide. If you go to Asian countries like Korea, Japan, China, Srilanka and others you may not come accross this. Actually there will be divide in terms of race but the divide will be shown as a divide on race only and not of religion.

Education awareness in the society also contributes a lot. Women education and their status in the society is very very important for the development of the particular community. If development on the education part takes place, the society - race learnes to counter the tease. It does not fall prey to the simple abuse.

Today one particular race thinks that they can do anything by holding the gun. They are not aware that this gun is not invented by them and actually was invented by the race that they fight against. They also not know that the race that invented the weapon will also have ideas to develop another weapon to destroy it. If the race get educated then they will also be at par with the other in inventions, so they will be respected or atleast the other will try to keep quite. You take North Korea for example.

Majority of humans like to gossip about his neighbour or atleast happy to hear the gossips. It shows, every one want to rule the other, and looks for opportunity. The best easy way is to tease him by his religious/race identity.

Europeans differentiate themselfs from Asia, calling people living in this continent as Asians. Even they abuse asians. Luckily Asia has a mixed faith wheares Arabs follow one particular religion.

To conclude, the divide is not by religion, it is actally by race and geography and nothing related to faith involves in the divide, it is money, ego and power plays the role. Lack of education too is a main reason for being abused.

Answer 3

Because of disagreement and lack of tolerance.

Think about it:
In ancient times, people from all over the world had to learn to survive. They had to learn how to get food and shelter, and thus have created different kinds of recipes and houses, using what was available. They had to learn to make tools to work and weapons to defend themselves from wild animals (or to hunt them), and they did so using what was available. They even had to develop their own languages, and they did so by choosing the combinations of sounds that to them seemed to be the most natural and pleasant.

And they also tried to explain lots of stuff they didn't understand.

And they all came up with their own, unique answers to the very same questions... always taking into consideration what was around them and what they knew -- or thought they knew.

That's how we humans evolve.
And as we evolve, we tend not to like having our notions questioned by people with different views. If our parents have always sweared to us that Santa Claus does exist, then we will not accept it easily when someone walks up and says he doesn't.

Religion unites people ONLY up to a certain point. ONLY within a certain group with common or similar beliefs. With politics and football, it is EXACTLY the same thing.

Religion (and politics, and football) does unite, but the divisions are ALWAYS greater than the unions.

ALWAYS.

And why?
Because that can only not be true when there are no divisions left whatsoever, meaning that humanity is finally in perfect harmony -- which, sadly, in the foreseeable future, is perfectly and completely impossible.

Besides, "no divisions" means "no countries", "no cultures", "no races", "no religions", "no sexes", "no disagreements", "no problems", "no learning", "no fun".

The immediate answer seems to lie in keeping an open mind, being tolerant and seeking to learn and to evolve.

The long-term answer is incredibly more complicated: EVERY PERSON in the world needs to have that open-mindedness and will to evolve. And that is not possible, not even by forcing or even tricking people into it.

Answer 4

In conclusion, the strong angel tells why Jehovah God judges Babylon the Great, who represents the world empire of false religion, so severely. “Yes,” says the angel, “in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.” (Revelation 18:24)

However, the prophecy says that the blood of “all those who have been slaughtered on the earth” must be charged to Babylon the Great. That has certainly been true in modern times. For example, since Catholic intrigue helped to bring Hitler to power in Germany, the Vatican shares in a terrible bloodguilt with regard to the six million Jews that died in Nazi pogroms. Further, in the 20th century alone, well over a hundred million people have been killed in hundreds of wars. Is false religion to blame in this connection? Yes, in two ways.

(1) One way is that many wars are related to religious differences. For example, the violence in India between Muslims and Hindus in 1946-48 was religiously motivated. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost. The conflict between Iraq and Iran in the 1980’s is related to sectarian differences, with hundreds of thousands being killed. Violence between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland has taken thousands of lives. The continuing violence in Lebanon is religiously based. Surveying this field, columnist C. L. Sulzberger said in 1976: “It is a dismal truth that probably half or more of the wars now being fought around the world are either openly religious conflicts or involved with religious disputes.” Indeed, it has been so throughout the turbulent history of Babylon the Great.
What is the second way? From Jehovah’s viewpoint, the world’s religions are bloodguilty because they have not convincingly taught their followers the truth of Jehovah God's requirements for his servants. They have not convincingly taught people that God’s true worshipers must imitate Jesus Christ and show love toward others regardless of their national origin. (Micah 4:3, 5; John 13:34, 35; Acts 10:34, 35; 1 John 3:10-12) Because the religions making up Babylon the Great have not taught these things, their adherents have been drawn into the vortex of international warfare. How evident this was in the two world wars of the first half of the 20th century, both of which started in Christendom and resulted in fellow religionists’ slaughtering one another. If all who claimed to be Christians had adhered to Bible principles, those wars could never have taken place.

Jehovah lays the blame for all this bloodshed at the feet of Babylon the Great. Had the religious leaders, and particularly those in Christendom, taught their people Bible truth, such massive bloodshed would not have occurred. Truly, then, directly or indirectly, Babylon the Great—the great harlot and world empire of false religion—must answer to Jehovah not only for “the blood of prophets and of holy ones” whom she has persecuted and killed but for the blood “of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.” Babylon the Great does indeed carry an appalling bloodguilt. Good riddance when her final destruction takes place!

Answer 5

I think that territory, poverty, power and money are the more likely basis for wars. Religion is used, both to rally the troops and to blame when wars are lost. Frequently both sides have the same beliefs. Religions have have risen from the ashes of war.

Answer 6

Your religion is your family. When someone prays to a father different from your own, they are in effect saying, 'You and all you hold dear are worth nothing in this world.'

If the 'false' worshippers (barbarians) are powerful enough, that has the same effect as if they burned your house down. The 'only way' to 'rebuild your house' is to annihilate the barbarians, 'proving' that your god is the Mightier..

Answer 7

I think the answer is simple.

BECAUSE EVERY RELIGION BELIEVES GOD IS ON THEIR SIDE.

If people thought the spirits or their god was against their actions, they wouldn't do them. For instance, in the crusades, when the crusaders wanted a piece or land, they would say "God wills it!" to justify attacking that place.

Ironically, in truth, no one should ever kill in the name of God, for we are all God's children. But the largest number of killings have been done by people saying, "In the name of God."

Answer 8

Excellent question...I vote it one of the best I've seen in here. Because the various religious sects are willing to shed blood over their various belief systems in an effort to coerce others into believing as they do. It's just unfortunate they constantly preach their messages and when enogh people don't care to hear it anymore they turn to violence as a method of "converting" people. PEACE!

Answer 9

Because most religions hold the belief that everyone else but them is evil.

Answer 10

Only false religion. There is a relgion that does not support wars, they don't believe in killing their fellowman. They have beaten their swords into plowshares. Guess what Religion is that?