Religion is a mannerism that promotes unity. No religion promotes violence, racism or categorization but rather encourages tolerance, positive thinking and peace. However, religion has caused more wars in history than prevented. Today, every religion has a bad omen to its institute which has driven many away from the idea of a religion.

The most recent phenomenon that parades itself through Europe is homosexuality. Recently, the United Kingdom legalized same-sex marriages after enough political pressure and Gay-Pride marches through the city. By all religious books, same-sex marriages are considered a sin, but with the acceptance of this, shows a decline in the importance of religion within leaders and its people.

So will religion die as nations become more liberal and socialistic in comparison to the dictatorship-like nations of the East? I do not think it is dead or in its last moments but instead has evolved, or rather people have tailored it to suit them and this is obvious. All scriptures in religion are metaphorical and literal. Their ethics are taught through stories or pictures, with parables and morals to go away with, but the ambiguity, created by the mischievous to suit their life, or their vision of how they want religion to be, is what we are fooled by so often.

Let’s take an example such as Al-Qaeda. This school of thought is possibly the most foolish that I have ever seen attract the media’s red light. They have managed to convince people that suicide with mass destruction is what their role is in this world. On the other hand, Bishops have been convinced that a relationship with a man is allowed because it’s considered celibacy as it is not a relation with a woman. Again, the logic doesn’t make sense does it?

Scenarios on smaller issues is where religion can play a vital role. “Come out for a drink with us after work” he says. “Oh, I’m Muslim. My religion does not allow me to drink”. Why is religion used as a barrier and not his own beliefs? “Are you free on Friday” he says.   “I’m Jewish, I don’t go out on Fridays” is what is so commonly heard, but why not “it’s the sabbath, I would prefer to stay in”. This idea of playing the “religious card” enrages me.

Specifically within religions themselves, people will attempt to take the moral high ground by using religion as their rescue. People today follow a set of rules and look for ways to become more efficient with them as if it has an on and off switch. It does not seem to be embedded within its followers but rather people refer to it in times of need, especially in arguments. It implies that people cannot be good people without religion. In a discussion of morals people refer to religion last as if no-one had thought of it and when mentioned, people realize “oh yeh, I have a religion to follow”.

People follow religion and don’t live it. To me, this is not what religion is supposed to be. Not a set of rules that its people follow blindly or because their parents followed a similar set of laws, the death of pure religion is imminent whilst people tailor religion so it works for them.

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