Religion in Society?

Question

Why is it difficult for people of different religions to realize their shared quest for peace and understanding?

Answer 1

Probably because they can't see the forest through the trees.

Answer 2

Because the diverse ideologies of the world (not simply religions, but any philosophy including Marxism and Social Darwinism) are not mutually compatible.

For example: a Marxist society must crush dissenting thought. That is their "religious" or philosophical idea. Unfortunately, this reqires killing several hundred million people....

Another example: Islam defines "peace" as universal submission to Allah. Well, some people are just not into submitting to Allah, therefore they must be eliminated.

Another example: Christians are required to share their faith by preaching it. The groups of people who are most attracted to this preaching are often the underdog types who relate to Christ's suffering. So bunches of Dalits convert...and the Hindus get all mad because they are losing all of their untouchable caste. So they outlaw preaching, and the Christians ignore it....problems erupt.

Another example: Buddhism is "not a religion" but rather a philosophy. Some people regard it as a religion, and combine it with traditional animist beliefs. Certain governments want to stamp out this more religious aspect, monks rebel, more problems

Another example: Social Darwinism, or humanism, holds the belief that humankind is evolving to perfection. Some whackjob decides to "speed up" evolution by sterilizing and killing off undesirables. She meets with Hitler and goes off to found Planned Parenthood in order to reduce the numbers of minorities born in the US (Margaret Sanger) Hitler likes this idea and takes it further by gassing Jews, gypsies, gays, etcetera. It isn't bad because people are just animals and we are moving forward to "eugenics" or better genes.

The list could go on, but NO, all philosophies do not share a quest for peace or understanding. They all want to be "good" but as you can see the definitions of "good" are dramatically different. So basically everybody dies.

Answer 3

because of different faith and believes.