Why did god make so many religions?

I think that you are not in the topic. If you think that Karma or whatever is the only law then i think here is not the place to talk about the Great Babylon that is writen in Revelation. Because when you talk about all this - about better christianity, better muslim, better hindu i think about Great Babylon which were drinking blood from her cup - the blood of the saints.

Great point, Ravenladyj. The Inquisition, Salem Witch Trials, all about instilling fear. About the only thing Karl Marx wrote that I aree with was his remark about religion being the opiate of the masses. So true!

But the contradictory religions cannot have the same god, regardless of where their inspirations were drawn from.

actually, islam comes from Christianity, Christianity comes from mithraism, pagan religions, Judaism and Zoroastrianism and Judaism and Zoroastrianism are in debate on which one is first.. the 10 commandments were actually laws found in middle east before organized religion..

the only big contradiction i can think of is the idea that jesus is gods son... which depending on what branch of Christianity one believes in, is very different from islam or judiasm. can you think of another big one?

This post reminds me of a friend who once said that "Spirituality" was God inspired and the source of all that was good. "Religion" he argued was the opposite, man made and the source that was all that was bad. Somehow, this seems to make sense to me. God, or whoever is up there, does alot of good. The older I get, the more I've been able to find joy in reveling in the devine. I've been into Christian Churches and felt touched by the power of music. I've been into Buddhist and Hindu Temples and found an incredible sense of peace. I've even felt the Muslim call to prayer touch my heart. Perhaps its just me, but when you feel something touch your heart and you know that you are doing something right, you understand that there is something greater than yourself out there trying to in spire you to do right. For me, and it could just be me, but this is spirituality at its best. Religion, I try and work on the principle of respecting everyone but then again when you look around the world or just surf mylot, you start to wonder if religion really is the root of evil. Look at the likes of Osama and Gang who claim they are killing people in the Name of Allah. Look at Falwel and Hagee who think they have the ability to set policy on their non existent knowledge of the Bible. In Israel, you have Anti-Semitic Jews launching racist policies all in the name of being "God's Chosen," while here in Asia, we have Buddhist Monks who prey on the weak and Hinduism has its cast system, which infects the ability of millions of Indians to get a decent life. All this makes you wonder if God really exist? Its easy to be cynical but then again, there are times when you just have to open your heart to speak to the devine to know that there's something beyond the confines of man-mande structures.

well said, gardengrrl! And to further your statement. As long as muslims don't stand up and tell those terrorists that they are wrong, and cry out against them and their cowardly acts, as long as they tell their children that those bullies, murderers and thieves are martyrs, then they are as guilty as the terrorists themselves. They are terrorists by association.

I agree, Judy, nothing and no one can make these Islamic extremists stop except the their fellow Muslims. It was the same in the U.S. in the middle of the last century with the KKK. Law enforcement couldn't (or didn't want to) stop them, the National Guard couldn't stop them. It wasn't until their fellow white Christians took to the streets against them that the goons were halted. Now the KKK is a punchline. I do hope the regular Muslim people of the world will wake up and realize they have the power to end this plague on mankind before its too late!