It seems to me that religion has separated us from our common goal of unity. Every religion based on Christ could be considered Christian, and every one of them believes He came and died for our sins. Except religion has intervened with different beliefs and guidelines. Is religion really necessary, or can we establish one main one that could unite all in how to follow in the name of Christ?
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Name : Alexander, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Christian, Age : 18, City : Porterville, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, The obvious problem with trying to 'unite all in how to follow in the name of Christ' is, 'Well, who is it who gets to be the leader?' The heads of established denominations - when such denominations actually have someone in charge - usually realize that denominations are going to remain separate. Others who have tried to 'unite' Christinity often in practice seek to be the one person who gets to decide what everyone can and can't believe. But I'm not even sure that people do have a common goal of unity. Just look at how disunited people are over other things: politics, nationalism and ideology. I would say it's closer to say that most people would rather win than be unified.
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Name : Matt-C22000, Gender : M, Religion : Christian, City : Oxford, State : GA Country : United States, Religion is seen by some as anything to do with God, Jesus and spiritual life. If I understand you, you are saying that man has added many rules, beliefs and guidelines to what Scripture says. Woe to those who add to God's Word. Don't wish for one man to guide all. One is coming soon who will appeal to all because of his charisma, but he is not of God. Those who don't follow Christ will follow him.
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Name : A-Urbonas23971, Religion : Christian, City : Edmonton, Alberta, State : NA Country : Canada, I think the word you're looking for when you say religion is 'denomination' (I.E. the Baptist denomination), of which there are hundreds. The reason they can't all simply be united is that The Holy Bible can be interpreted in different ways, and some people will see one thing differently than others. You are right, though; all religions (Islam, Judaism, Christianity, what have you) separate the world, and I don't believe any of them are necessary. They are and have been useful coping devices for many people, though.
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Name : Zac, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 19, City : Ripon, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, I'm not big on religion because I find it separates people as much as it unites them. Everyone's beliefs are so different, there will never be just one worldwide religion. I find it ironic that you mentioned that the one religion would be in the name of Christ. What about all of the people who thought Jesus was a great man but do not see him as God like Muslims, Buddhists, Jews...Pagans like me? Or atheists who don't believe in God at all? That is the very reason why we don't have one--everyone thinks that their religion is the 'right' one and everyone else is wrong. The key is respecting our differences and not trying to convince others that they have to believe what you believe. Then we truly have a chance at peace in this world.
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Name : Michele, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : New Age/Metaphysical, Age : 32, City : New Orleans, State : LA Country : United States, Occupation : Reservationist, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class, Denominations should not be the main point of focus in our lives. Religion, following rules, guidelines, etc. None of those are important compared to the teachings of Scripture, of which love is the greatest of all these. Though there are many religions out there, what is important is not that they have a 'label' but that they have a heart of Christ. The reason why we as God's disciples are commanded to go out and make disciples of all nations...Matthew 28:19 not to make all one united religion.
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Name : yang, City : h, State : MI Country : United States, 'Religion' is not a force of nature, it is created by human beings. All of those beliefs and guidelines grew out of interpretations of the actual events of Christ's life -- by eyewitnesses, by those that heard eyewitness accounts, second-hand, third-hand, that read written accounts hundreds of years later, so on and so forth. Stories change over time and over large numbers of people. Have you ever played that game where one person whispers something to the next, and then the next, until the last person hears something quite different from how the message started? Same thing, multiplied by 2000 years and millions of people. People have an innate need to organize things and establish hierarchies. They do it to everything: their sock drawers, their email, their governments, their beliefs about God. People also seem to have an innate need to disagree with each other, whether over sock drawers, email, government or religion. So between the variable source material and the need to organize and disagree, you get umpteen number of groups calling themselves Christian. Even when the Catholic Church was the only Christian church around, it was full (and still is) of dozens of slightly different groups of beliefs. It happens to other religions too, just look at the different sects of Moslems and Jews. Christians are not unified because people in general are not unified, and I think that ties back into the free will that God himself gave us. It has its good points and its bad points, and it's just the way things are.
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Name : Carla19237, Gender : F, Age : 33, City : College Park, State : MD Country : United States, my particular opinion is that you're mistaking religions that claim to be 'Christian' while basing their faith on old testament rather morality, rather than those that actually follow the teachings of Christ. I find that the more divisive groups trot out old testament verses showing a vengeful and wrathful god, where as a Christian religion's teachings are drawn from Christ's words and stories found in the new testament. I can find 'love your neighbor', but I can't seem to find much talk about anger in there - 'cept the part about the moneychangers in the temple, a point ignored by most of the televangelists I've seen. Ah, well. It's why we needed redeeming, I suppose. Didn't seem to take, tho.
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Name : John29311, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 54, City : Waterford, State : CT Country : United States, Occupation : EE, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, But why should everyone be Christian? I believe he lived and taught a long time ago and was a fabulous and charismatic person, but is no longer with us. The bible was written by humans, not God, inspired, yes, but it is from man. Fundamentalist Christian is about as diversive as Islamists are...
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Name : Cyd, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 53, City : Santa Rosa, State : CA Country : United States, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, We were created in God's image and do well to imitate him, like we want our children to imitate our good qualities. There is a religion, and only one, that teaches people of all races and languages to worship the true God in the way that he approves. Pray and you will find Him! We ourselves could not possibly create a religion because it takes some of us all our lives to learn ourselves, much less anyone else. Our creator knows all of us intimately.
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Name : Nychele, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Jehovahs Witness, Age : 29, City : Savannah, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : Night Auditor, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, The divisions called denominations today are a human construct that evolved in error and are not authorized in the bible. If you mean to use the word religion to represent denominations, I would encourage you to search the scriptures for authority. Remember, Christ also came to Earth to established his church - the collection of all saved people alive, dead, and yet to live. The organizational pattern found in the bible should be used in a local congregation not just any organizational type we think is good. Once you see what the biblical pattern was intended to be, you can begin to understand why there will never be one single human denomination. Jesus simply didn't intend for there to be one. He intended for each local congregation to be independent. All congregations being independent of the others insulates them from control by people who don't know the members and from errors that can propogate.
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Name : Jim30519, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 40ish, City : Katy, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Accounting, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Religion has created artificial & contradictory rituals, interpretations, etc well beyond the teachings of Christ. This is typical of human institutions which often seek to magnify their own importance. After 2000 years, it is unlikely that a 'pure' church can be founded and remain true to Christ's straightforward and simple message. We should all read the Scripture & strive to live daily as Christ taught; showing love to our fellow man through our actions & assistng with sharing the gospel of Christ however we can. Less time should be spent trying to adhere to any specific denomination's ideas about religion.
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Name : Dennis, City : Arlington, State : TX Country : United States, Why do you automatically assume that if all religions banded together that they would follow in the name of christ? There are other sets of beliefs beyond christianity. To me, religion is nothing more than a crutch for the weak and those who won't take responsibility for their actions.
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Name : Kevin26500, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Kansas City, State : MO Country : United States, Social class : Lower middle class, What is more important IMHO, is how we treat out fellow man at each meeting be he like or unlike us. We are all ultimately judged by how we treat others. Christianity is a good basis but ALL religions have much the same basis of kindness, honesty, humility, etc. So to that end, we do not NEED religion but it can serve as a guideline for ones' moral/conduct compass. It's when it starts to serve as a basis to divide people that I have a problem and is why I opted OUT of Christianity though I will be the first to say that it is at the base of my personal compass. I have chosen to take from other beliefs as well...which is a no-no in the Christian faith. Remember, we all have CHOICE my friend. Peace.
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Name : Bert, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 51, City : West Palm Beach, State : FL Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Christianity isn't about religion. It's about truth. Jesus claimed to be God (John 10:30 and many other verses). He backed that up primarily by performing miracles, but also with his teachings and his insights into what God is really like. If Jesus claimed to be God, but really isn't, he must have been a liar or nuts. In either case, there is no reason to pay any attention to anything he said or did. But, if He really is God, that changes everything. That means that when He said He was the only way to the Father (John 14:6), He was speaking the truth. If we believe this truth, then we are already united in Christ, despite our minor disagreements about some of the details. Unity with those who hold the same belief is indeed a worthy goal. However, we cannot compromise on this truth. While we may be able to have some secular involvement with people who do not hold to this belief, we cannot sacrifice this truth in order to have spiritual unity with other groups. To do so, is to deny that Jesus is indeed God. Those so called Christians who deny this truth are not true Christians, they just fit the modern day definition of a Christian, a nice person who lives in the United States.
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Name : Eiblis, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 55, City : Lenexa, State : KS Country : United States, Occupation : Actuary, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, 
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