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Failures of the World's Many Religions

(Estimated reading time: 5 min)

Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine in France, released a cartoon in 2012 depicting Muhammad, the prophet revered by Muslims around the world. As a result, 12 people were killed outside Charlie Hebdo's office, and another 11 were injured. Last October 2020, a teacher named Samuel Paty showed in his freedom of speech class the same cartoon that Charlie Hebdo released. A week or so, he was beheaded by a young man on his way to the school where he teaches. The same thing was the root of the two incidents: blasphemy. And blasphemy is an anathema to many religions.

Religion is a controversial term and topic. The origin of the term is still disputed. There is no word in the past that is the equivalent of the term we use in the present that describes the worship or reverence of a higher being. There are also disagreements on its modern definition. There is an argument involving atheists (those who do not believe in the existence of a god) where it is said that following one definition given to the word religion as "following a set of beliefs", then atheists, too, have religion.

There is an extensive list of religions around the world, and each one is claiming to be the one representing the god they choose to worship. Many are zealous about proselytizing and propagating their belief. And some, like the Charle Hebdo case, can be used to justify extremist and violent acts. It is not unusual for faithful persons to resort to extreme behaviors to justify their beliefs. The teaching that their religion is superior to others, and the claim that theirs is the true one, can fuel such acts as believers can develop a tendency to dehumanize those who differ from them in beliefs.

Conflicts between political entities are aggravated by the fact that many high-ranking religious individuals support them. The justification that "God is on our side" is enough for one to commit horrible acts that caused the suffering and death of many innocents. The fact that many religions are cohorts with secular political figures and entities is also apparent, though many nations and states have laws to ensure the separation of powers between church and state. Wars are fought, most of the time, in the name of religion and its god. Over the history of mankind, people witnessed many atrocious deeds done in the name of religion. The holy wars of Islam (jihad) and the Roman Catholic Church (crusade) are backed by high pontiffs on both sides, albeit the real reason of gaining hold of a strategic place (Jerusalem, known as the holy land) to extend the political and territorial scope of either side. Even among those having the same or similar faiths, some conflicts arise because of differences in their stance on certain doctrines or beliefs. There are the Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics, and Protestants and Roman Catholics, among others.

Despite the retractions of their many faulty claims when it comes to science, we cannot deny the fact that many religions espouse unfounded irrational beliefs and superstitions. Also, the rise of religious fundamentalism and conservativism is a source of denialism on certain facts that are products of exhaustive studies and research. The misguided belief between the superiority of faith over medicines, the fight against vaccination, the unscientific reasons against the use of contraceptives for family planning, and the dismissal of global disruption are just a few examples of the dangers of adhering to unsubstantiated dogmas.

For many people, their faith is the ultimate truth, they have the "keys" to unlocking the doors to divinity, and so they are mandated to convert the "infidels," leading to the notion that they have the authority to ostracize the ones who do not share their belief (for example, The Inquisition), and that they will be punished if they fail to do so because such actions and beliefs are incorporated in the set of moral rules that supposedly have divine origins. The result is division and intolerance among members of different faiths. The different sets of codes followed by many faithful are also sources of prejudice towards others who do not share the same belief. Religion divides people more than they unify them.

Religious beliefs are primary sources of moral code for many, and most are practical in many ways. The teachings of peace, compassion, charity, and kindness are beneficial to everyone if applied. It is to say that religion is not inherently the source of many untoward deeds of mankind, but reality shows us that it has become a tool to propagate ignorance and hate by some abusive and corrupt individuals. The scandals of child abuse among members of the clergy and high-ranking religious official are but one of many examples of the hypocrisies that exist in different religions. Prejudice, inequality, and discrimination are also apparent particularly when it comes to the distribution of power between male and female members, the judgment thrown at the members of the LGBTQ community, and some, even to those who are members of other races and ethnic minorities.

As globalization reaches all parts of the globe, the need for tolerance and understanding is needed more than ever. Technology makes the exchange of ideas faster than ever. Religions are not keeping up the pace when it comes to bridging the gaps between people that they helped widen throughout history. Intolerance and persecution exist and we are nowhere near achieving global peace due to the differences in dogmas and doctrines among religious organizations and communities. It failed to unite people despite the claims of holding the ultimate truth and getting in touch with the divine.

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