It is a well-known fact that religion has been a cause of wars, hatred, and division between people for millennia. I find that peculiar, considering religion’s stated purpose is to promote peace, love, and unity. The reason for this disparity is that religion, like government, has been used against people rather than for their benefit. Once a person understands and accepts this then the inescapable fact arises that our leaders have no real interest in unity, peace, or love
My concern is not religion, though. People have a natural need to understand and worship God, their root. Additionally, our wellbeing is inextricably linked to our relationship with God. My concern is man-made religion, especially Christianity, a product of men’s vanity, their greed, and their need to control and use others. Men, who in fact, are ignorant of God. They can’t help us. They are lost themselves! I am not a cynical person by nature, but at some point, I began to think that ideas like the reward of heaven and the punishment of hell are used to control people. Pavlov’s dog type training. My thoughts coincided with the fact that I didn’t trust what was being said at church. It didn’t ring true. But I never stopped believing in God. So, early on I determined to find the answers to my questions myself. I constantly pray. I’ve studied the Bible, the Quran, and philosophy of religion. But always, God guides me and provides what I need. As I've said, my religious studies started with Christianity and then evolved. Most people know that Christianity is one of three major religions that are supposedly rooted in Abraham.