Human beings are so complicated. I wonder why. Lately, I’ve been pondering on why it’s so hard for us to get along with each other. Some might claim that my statement is invalid that human beings do get along. To this I say that few people getting along, when ALL or majority could, does not invalidate my claim nor equate everyone getting along. Please read along with me.

In terms of religion alone, we all claim to be of, and worship, one and the same God, yet we have a multitude of branches of religion. The multitude of branches and denominations stemmed mainly from disagreements over doctrines and/or subjective interpretations of parts of the Bible or the religion’s sacred book.

Why so many?

According to records, there are five major religions; namely, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism, but a staggering 4,300 religions worldwide

Intra-Branches

“Christianity is divided between Eastern and Western theology. In these two divisions there are six branches: Catholicism, Protestantism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, Oriental Orthodoxy, and Assyrians. Restorationism is sometimes considered the seventh branch.”

Each major religion also has its own branches. For example, there’s the Roman Catholics but “the German monk Martin Luther … denouncing the Catholic sale of indulgences — pardons for sins — and questioning papal authority led to his excommunication and the start of the Protestant Reformation.”

We can go down the list of each major religion and its branches.

. . .

Islam is also represented by several major branches: Sunni, Shi’a, Ibadi, Ahmadiyya, and Sufism.

Modern Hinduism is divided into four major devotional sects: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism.

Judaism also has four branches; the Reform, Orthodox, Conservatism, and Reconstructionist.

Each religious branch also has its branches; branches within branches!

I hope you get the point?

Yet some might say that “variety is the spice of life” and that it is better to have choices rather than be restrictive. True, but doesn’t it make life somewhat harder and the people more complicated to deal with? A branch of religion prefer to stick together with its members and view others suspiciously because of differences in doctrines.

Well, well, well … I could go on and on. As it is with religion, so it is with other areas of life.

I’m not complaining, just pondering.

What would the world view be like if we all practiced one religion? Do you think it will be boring or fun? Just a thought.

Thanks for reading.