How Does Religion Affect Our Society

The topics concerning religion in our world have long been debated, with some citing it as the source of all our troubles and others as the solution to all of our troubles. Regardless of personal stance on the effects of religion on our society, it can be agreed that the concept has played a huge role in the development of human society and our lives as a whole, negatively or positively. Religion has brought change to our world since the idea was first created.
Several massacres have been staged in the middle east for the past millennium, stemming mostly between the opposing religions of Islam and Christianity. (Craig). Though these two religions consist of similar origins and share many figures, beliefs, prophets and their god, (Lipka), they
is christianity, including all of its denominations (70.6%). The second largest religious affiliation is agnostic/atheist (22.8), which is actually not a religion, but the absence of religion, or the belief that there is no higher deity. We are the country with the highest GDP and considered the most advanced and generally best nation in the world with our advancements and standard of living, yet we have high rates of crime, unemployment and homelessness, among other not so useful rates. Our country is full of religion, being largely referenced in our constitution. Everywhere you go, there seems to be a church around every corner, like Starbucks or McDonalds. There is no doubt that religion plays a big role in our modern society. Many believe that religion is a useless and outdated habit, that it serves no purpose today and that only idiots believe in a higher being or deity, seemingly holding themselves higher than those who choose to believe, not being very productive themselves. In an interesting parallel, many highly devout christians believe pretty much the same things about their apparent counterparts. Christians in America belittle those who do not believe, treating them as if they were diseased for their lack of belief, thinking that non-believers are just a unproductive burdens and that they are just not smart enough to understand there is things they cannot see or be sure about. Or maybe Americans just look for reasons to hate each other and argue all day about whose beliefs are true, even though we will never be sure, at least until we die. There is, however, a few people in the U.S. who respectfully agree that everyone is entitled to their opinions and that we are all living here, so we should just stop hating each other and just accept our differences. They are few and far between. Our country is full of unhappiness and strife, with major crimes such as murder, rape, kidnap, Identity theft and mass murders