Religions… are they not like different ways to solve the same problem?
931314
John 8:32   \n\n"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."\n\nJames 1:26-27    \n\n"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.\n\nPure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."
696691
A bit drastic. It obviously isn't a solution to the things he's complaining about.\nWhat he really wants is religions to co operate with eachother and be effective in helping mankind achieve peace and mutual trust.\nThis is what is needed and what is missing too. His observations are pretty good it's just his solution that is off the wall.
625723
You are correct. \n\nWhat it comes down to is that religion is irrational.
730129
Yes of course there is a similarity. Many seemingly unanswearable questions (long ago it was questions about the planets, now it's questions about where we come from) were attributed to God or to spiritual explanations. Now even as we begin to answer many of these questions with science and with technology or discoveries not previously avalible, some people still can't seem to let go of their religious explanations. Maybe it's the fear that eventually all of our questions can be answered without god in the equation.
790865
They are like two different religions! :)
1044677
The religions are probably O.K. Now you get to the humans who interpret and teach. Here is the problem. They change to fit the times. It gets so mixed up even they don't have a clue as to what the religion is all about. I think that is why some religions try to keep the teachers out of the real world. That corrupts the. Like at Jim Baker, Jerry Falwell, Oral Roberts, John Ankerberg, Pat Robertson, Jimmy Swaggart on and on. See What I mean?
662694
I must say when I read your initial question (How is Religion not a virus?) I thought you were being a smart @$$ but after reading your analogy I can see that you put some thought into this. However a virus has some sort of downfall and Religions have a backbone of a positive stroke, we may all not believe that a specific religion is positive for us but for some it works for them. One thing is for sure you really made me look at Religion in a whole new perspective...
1174993
It's not that Islam is the obvious solution to everyone's spiritual needs, it's that it's the obvious solution to all your spiritual needs. Why do you think there are so many religions?
434499
They don't do it with Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, or Islam.  It must be something about Christianity.
785350
some religions may not accept such beliefs.
981446
No, The problem is when we went in the last thing on anyone's mind was religion and the divisions of religion. The country has at long last been free. Now you have your different religious groups fighting for power. \nIf there is a way to figure out how to overcome the religious to every ones satisfaction then you would see 99% of the problems disappear.  However look a Israel and Palestine still fighting after how long? Those are two different religions. Not the same sector.\nOn the other, hand how long did the Irish catholic and the protestants fight?
433881
Because they believe in different ideas of the same God.
722668
It's not so much the religions as it is the politics of the religion. Having faith is just having a belief - it's the religious DOGMA (telling you how to live, etc.) thay causes the problems. Why everyone wants to think that everyone else should believe in their particular brand of faith is beyond me. Why can't we all just get along. Different strokes for different folks, is what I say.
1094464
Today, I think that most, if not all, organized religions are off the mark a bit.  To rephrase, while I am struggling with the notion of God, I know that I do not believe in the God that Jews, Christians, Muslims, and Bahai's belive in.  Today, I believe that if there is a God, that he/she/it pressed the "start button" and left us to work out the rest for ourselves.
95842
No. It differs on the fact that Christianity has a faith different from the others.
1010342
I have learned a lot from other religions.  The similarities show what could potentially be universal truth.  The differences show what is probably just subjective.
421572
Rationality has never applied to religion as evidenced by the multitude of religions we have. Cults are usually an example of brainwashing and threats.Spirituality, which a lot of people confuse with religion has, in some areas a rational base but, when you move into faith based subjects of all the different religions you leave rational thought behind.