Can religion unite/divide the world?

Answer 1

i believe religion is an opium as said by Karl Marx. its basic tenets were dogmatic and there is no scope for rational and scientific thinking. see the history because of religious differences many people died in holy wars and jihads.even now the world is divided between Islamic terrorism and imperialism of the USA causing the death of several innocent people. of course Buddhism is the only exception.

Answer 2

Religion can only divide the world. There are too many countries and too many people with too many differing beliefs. Why do you think this world is imploding right now? Because of religion. It has nothing to do with god necessarily, but organized religions that have blinded man to acceptance of other beliefs. Now we have these huge wars going on and a man leading our country who believes, like all the other leaders in THEIR countries, that our belief system is the RIGHT one.

Nope, it can only divide. Only truth and science can unite because it is much more solid than mythology. Not perfect, but nothing is.

And to those Christians who think reading the bible and becoming a Christian will unite the world, I have one question... why is YOUR god the "right" one for the world?

"When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."

Answer 3

if the come to agree one day that they all pray the same God and start respecting each other, then it can unite, but if they keep claiming to be the one and only true faith, then they will keep dividing the world. Deep in the bottom, I really don´t think the will ever try to unite people around the world, all they care about is to get the biggest amount of believers, remember they also work as political institutions, and as they gather more people, they gather more power as well.

Answer 4

Religion has already divided the world.

It will take a human effort to unite the world.

Answer 5

This religious background, one would think, should have added stability to the new world order. But in actuality religious intolerance and strife led to widespread instability. Religious riots in India included a nine-day period of sectarian violence in Bombay during 1993 that took more than 550 lives.

Religious disunity slowed ecumenical progress in 1994 when the Anglican Church ordained 32 women as priests. Pope John Paul II called this “a profound obstacle to every hope of reunion between the Catholic Church and the Anglican communion.”

On April 19, 1993, tension between the U.S. government and members of a religious cult, the Branch Davidians—which had already resulted in a standoff at the cult compound in Waco, Texas, and the killing of four federal agents—claimed the lives of at least 75 cult members.

Another characteristic of apostasy is that it leads to division and fragmentation. The apostle Paul had prophesied: “I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among you and will not treat the flock with tenderness, and from among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Paul had given clear counsel to the Corinthians when he stated: “Now I exhort you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among you, but that you may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.” In spite of Paul’s exhortation, apostasy and divisions soon took root.—Acts 20:29, 30; 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Another cause for division was the veneration of images. During the eighth century, the Eastern bishops rebelled against this idolatry and entered into what is called their iconoclastic, or image-destroying, period. In time they returned to the use of icons.—Exodus 20:4-6; Isaiah 44:14-18.

A recent survey in Germany asked the question: “Do religions unite people, or are they more likely to separate them?” Of the respondents, 22 percent felt that religions unite, whereas 52 percent felt that they divide, or separate. Perhaps people in your country feel much the same way.
Why do many have little confidence that religion can unite mankind? Perhaps because of what they know from history. Instead of drawing people together, religion has often pushed them apart. In some instances, religion has been the cover under which the most dreadful atrocities have been committed. Consider some examples from just the last 100 years.

Influenced by Religion. Small wonder, therefore, that the German newsmagazine FOCUS compared the world’s major religions—Buddhism, Christendom, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism—to gunpowder.

Clergy and laity alike ask: Is birth control permitted? What about abortion? Should women be ordained as priests? How ought the church to view homosexuality? Should a religion sanction war? In view of such disunity, many wonder, "How can a religion unite mankind if it cannot unite even its own members?"

Clearly, religion in general has failed to be a force for unity.

If you would like further information on the religion that enjoys unity worldwide, or for a free home Bible study, please contact Jehovah's Witnesses at the local Kingdom Hall. Or visit http://www.watchtower.org

Answer 6

Religion can unite the world if and only if the world will look to the same standard of authority.

1 Corinthians 1:10 ¶Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

As long as people insist on adding to the Bible or taking away from it, we will continue to be divided on religion.

If you want to be united with those who accept the Bible and the Bible only as our standard, click the link below.

Answer 7

With all the fighting in the middle east it seems to do more dividing than uniting.

Answer 8

It would be nice to believe that religion can unite us. However, because of the human nature, it's impossible. One guy believes in Jesus, the other in Buda, some believe in Alah, Jehva etc., and that's allright with me. All of these religions say that you should believe in THEIR God, but also let the next man believe what ever he wants (and, if possible, try to convert them). But, people take it all too serious; no one seems to care about his/her faith, but more about what others believe in. Hence, the violence!
We all are not up to the tasks any religion puts onto us. We can peacefully say. 'we tried that religion thing, it just doesn't work'!

Answer 9

Religion is like an ocean of hate, dividing people who might have otherwise been friends.

Answer 10

People are more passionate about religion than anything else on the planet, will their be unity in world religions? no. will they continue to be divided? yes.