I don't think religion exists only to cause trouble. The problem is that all followers of religion think their own faith is right and every other faith is wrong - and some don't exacty adhere to the concept of 'live and let live'.
"Religion," is a man made concept, mans' attempt to reconcile himself with God. It doesn't work, as God is not impressed.
God did the work for us, in the Person of Jesus Christ, He reconciled us to Himself.
All we have to do is accept the free gift of forgiveness and get on with our lives.
Hello dear Theland, how do you know God is not impessed?
Octavius, If you say it's right 'for me', then it seems you are not absolutely convinced that what you believe is really the truth. I was referring to devout believers. Whatever religion they choose to belong to, if they are devout then they do believe they have found the truth, and consequently must believe that those who think differently are wrong.
If there is supposed to be only one true God then why are there so many religious variations on a biblical theme?
Oops! Sorry,That's a question.
True belief is from the heart,soul and mind and not just a Church or book.
Ditto to that Luna. Why do people need a book, a building or other men to teach them to enable them to experience compassion, spirituality or love for their fellow man? Religion does cause conflict, but that's not necessarily attributable to religion itself - it's more likely attributable to man's arrogance, greed, and total stupidity.
Anyone who subscribes to or practices a belief system, religious, societal or otherwise, that attempts to circumvent the perceptual process by which knowledge must be obtained and the conceptual process through which understanding must be achieved is more dangerous to themselves and others than one who is aware of and acknowledges the limitations imposed by what they know or understand and behaves accordingly neither deluded by what they feel or wish they knew nor inspired by a false sense of mindless bravado.
Seeking a shortcut to reality can only leave one lost within reality. Blind to the knowledge required to navigate this realm and having forfeited the ability to think rationally the faithful are fodder for those whose aim is neither their best interest nor the welfare of humanity. They conscribe themselves to be pawns to leaders whose vision is not a better world but to lead those willing to follow and with them force those unwilling to follow into the abyss of blind allegiance to power unrestrained by reason.
Those who have not learned to live and have not found a purpose are not taught by the religious the meaning of life but that life is meaningless. They are not taught by religion how to live but how to die and that their only purpose is to tell others that life has no purpose.
Religion is not the cause of trouble. Trouble is the default condition for a species that has lost or never fully acquired a respect for the ability to reason. Trouble is the just deserts of the failure to appreciate the potential worth of a species presented with the opportunity but refusing to accept and enjoy the benefits offered by the ability to think.