by trace elements

Created on: March 06, 2010   Last Updated: March 11, 2010

Every since we started to think more logically and communicate through speech, we have believed in something. This belief system has grown with us becoming what we now term religions. Being made concrete by the hierarchy who led these religions, we became believers in a particular religion depending on what part of the globe we inhabited. These religions then competed with each other to become the most dominant one, with the smaller belief systems becoming engulfed and swamped. Until eventually the dominant religions became comparable to the ruling elite of an area, and started to have control over populations. This evolutionary development gave these dominant religious hierarchies a thirst to dominate more of the globe, leading to an eventual clash of the titans of religion.

We can see such a clash in the Crusades, which were a series of holy wars backed by the Pope and most of the kings of Medieval Europe. The Pope was the leader of the Christians and as such wanted to drive the Saracens away from their holy city of Jerusalem. A vast army descended on the Middle East to drive out hoards who had overrun the city where Jesus had eventually been crucified. This had become a sacred city for pilgrims to journey to walk in Jesus' footsteps. This then became a war about territory and the right of one religion over another to rule the city. The enemy of the Christians was the followers of Islam, who also felt they too had a right to the city of Jerusalem because their prophet Mohammad had received divine teaching here. Thus began to ever raging war between the two religions, which ensues even today.

In today's cultures we are confronted by a multitude of religions and belief systems, which co-exist after a fashion. There are still many within the major religious frameworks who believe theirs is the one and true religion, representing the one true God. Children are taught about the religion which dominates their country of birth, giving them a more in depth understanding of this religion over any others. These teachings can prejudice inquiring minds to believe they hold the only true faith, and that any other religion is just a by product of it. It is difficult for us to comprehend that all religions are of the same foundations, even if presented with written evidence, as we are lead to believe that the holy bible is the one true book describing the ascent of man from the garden of Eden.

When you read about other religions and belief systems you can quickly ascertain

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