religion...

divides.  let me re-phrase that; most religions divide.  divide people.  separate people.  the only people that it brings together are the ones that share the same ideology.  if you're not part of that community, then your are divided from that community.

i mostly speak of religion as a whole, and not necessarily the individuals of that community.  meaning there are individuals of the community that will not separate themselves from those who are not of their community.

but as far as the religion goes, and depending on the belief then if you don't believe then what would happen?  eternal damnation.  now this concept is mostly in the western tradition.  thinking of the eastern traditions, it is mostly reincarnation in some way.  this is most simply put, and i don't want to make the distinction here.

i don't think that there is much argument here.  religion does divide.  different beliefs.  different places of worship.  different practices.  different world-views.  and then religions take on the 'my god is better than yours' mentality, and then what happens?  and why is this?

power.  political or otherwise.  example; if the pope really wanted to be like christ, then why is the vatican so rich, and so powerful?  the power struggles in the middle east.

thomas hobbes stated (paraphrased here) that religion is a construction of man, and not found anywhere in nature.  religion becoming a creation of man becomes man thirst for power.  hobbes believed that we always thirst for power in some way until our death.  increasing our power increases our preservation. 

let's look at it this way; why has there been so many splits in religion?  often times because someone wanted more power than the last.  so divide, and conquer.  example; martin luther separated himself from the church because of certain ideological differences (some seem valid, like paying to get out of purgatory); however what was his next move?  to try and convert the jewish people to christianity.  the great peace maker was the plan.  didn't work.

now i'm not suggesting that we become so sort of crappy communistic john lennon song.  but can we, in essence, not give a shit?  relinquish the power, and just be.  i believe that religion does need to be discussed, this is how we learn and understand; but do we need to be so attached to it?

[amitabha]