A recent survey revealed that many Australians harbour incredibly negative attitudes towards all religion. 46% said; "Religion is a major part of the problems in our world." 42% said; "It's not religion which is the problem, but "religious people' who are the problem."

This poses a number of questions.

Why are people so down on religion?
What is the problem with religion?
What is the solution, if there is one?
Why does religion exclude and discriminate?

Does religion allow Buddhist to look down at those who they see as less enlightened. Hindu's can look down on those with less karma. Christians, Muslims and Jews can feel superior, believing only they have the gift of god within them.

Paul,

It is all about faith which is belief without facts which is the keystone of all religions such as Christianity, Islam, Greens etc.

Religion is divisive because it has nothing to do with Faith !

And, everything to do with blind faith !

Here we go again, mistakenly believing that 'religion' is generic and all religions are equal. There is only one religion that makes sense, and that's Christianity. Christianity is not divisive. People are divisive.

It's not religion which is the problem - it's that which is mistakenly (or deceitfully) considered to be religion, or a part thereof, mainly comprising of cultural and ethnic practices and attitudes which truly have very little to do with religion itself.

This problem was recognised even within the bible itself [Isaiah 1:11-17].