A barrier sometimes. You get groups promoting peace and cooperation or promoting happiness. But you also have extremists, suicide bombers and such. You have people trying to enforce their views on others in the name of their religion. Racism can be created. Look at our history to see the wars caused by it. Religion often helps charities, though the money is not always used efficiently. There's good and bad

Religions that teach we are evil for simply being human are. They'd done great damage to our collective consciousness for centuries.

No.. a speed bump.

No general answer can be offered here, because the subject is complex: in many ways, religion stunts human development and justifies evil, but in other ways, it promotes development and encourages people to be their best. Most very abstract answers are wrong or useless: you have to get into the details of a subject to be able to say meaningful things about them.

Sadly it has been for a long time

Only for people who want to make it a barrier. Salaam

Any religion that states its followers are the chosen ones or that they are the only ones who will enter paradise while all others are condemned to an eternity of torture ~ yes.

Religion itself is not a barrier. Religion is an excuse. Intolerant people use religion as an excuse to separate people into 'us and them' categories. THAT is a barrier.

Yeah, people aren't reaching their full potential here on earth because they believe their real, eternal life will start when they die.

Religion is not really a barrier. It just allows people, themselves, to be barriers....to all sorts of things, not just humanity. Religion does not have to be this way, but it seems like the more religious a person is, the more of a problem that person is for the rest of us.

According to Webster's Dictionary, religion is "a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs". If this is true, everyone, no matter what they believe in any form has a religion. Yes, you atheists who don't believe in God, still have a religion. Perhaps you don't have a ritual of sorts...maybe you do. I would considered do nothing a ritual. No observances, no devotional time of any sort would be considered a ritual. But every human has a view of the universe, a view of cause, a view of nature. No human is exempt from religion. We've turned "religion" into going to church, or attending the mosque and praying. But it's not that. Religion is basically what encompasses your beliefs. Why you do what you do. In this scenario, the question being asked then is this, "Are human ideas and beliefs a barrier to their own humanity?" Well...obviously this is a very loaded question. Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. Every human idea (a human's religion) has persecuted or attacked another human's idea (a human's religion) and caused problems. The Crusades. Bloody Mary. The Holocaust. The Spanish Inquisition. All these things are terrible things. But human religion has also forwarded civilization into amazing times of prosperity and wealth. America is a by-product of religion's beauty. People left England for various reasons but one reason being the right for mankind to live in an area where they can believe whatever they want. Although we do have some problems, our nation has far more freedoms than other developed countries, even England. So my answer is this, "religion", or human ideas are not a barrier for humanity, but is actually a habitat in which humans live. We cannot avoid it, we live in it. It can be good, it can be bad. But we live in them, and we have to deal with them with the good, bad, and the ugly.

Mankind is his own barrier for "humanity" (whatever that is supposed to mean). Man always blames others for his own shortcomings...whether it's the Jews, the Christians, the Americans, the Chinese, the Republicans, the Democrats, whatever. Man is limited just as far as he limits himself and tries to excuse those limitations by blaming others.

OK sorry.i relies now.

hey lorik.nafee used word man not christians.it is sin to say bad to anyother religion.

True religion is not. Unfortunately there are several false religions out there and people to twist religion around for thier own agendas. The desire for God is written in the human heart, because each person is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw each person to himself. In response to this desire, most religions are humanity reaching out for God. In Judaism and Christianity, God is reaching out for humanity and we respond. Religion is a set of beliefs and practices followed by those committed to the service and worship of God. The first commandment requires us to believe in God, to worship and serve him, as the first duty of the virtue of religion . With love in Christ.

Not in the slightest. If anything religion is the definition of humanity. The main thing about humans is higher cognitive though, which means that instead of instincts we need something to believe in, AKA religion.

Humanity can go on with out religion but religion can not go on without humanity. It is like kicking a bad habit. It's not easy but once it happens you will be better off.

I believe so.... I might come out as biased being an atheist but in this world religion does seem to form some sort of barrier amongst the people. Take any religion for example.. Islam... 1000s of years of history of manslaughter, polygamy, female repression, wars, invasion. Christians..... the Vatican has throughout history committed crimes against people/sects who voiced their opinion against its preachings Hindus & Jews.... though not violent as per human history but do tend to be extremists in practicing their cultures preventing better relations with others. The only religion I'm for would be buddhism for its peaceful teachings and the fact it does seem to prove something.... Buddha may've been similar to Jesus Christ, but then again buddhists have not killed many nor suppressed people as in the case of Vatican. The only thing Im against is bowing to the statue/idol of Buddha, his teachings though great but I do not feel men should preach a "Lord" per say, merely should follow the teachings without thrusting them onto others. I believe there is nothing not even any "GOD" greater than a human being itself. we need no religion if we just learn to love and respect all life on this planet and respect other's feelings & thoughts.

Yes sometimes it is used as a tool for people to argue their view with. Eg religion is responsible for much of the attitude against homosexuals. On the other hand relgion normally states that you should not have sex other than to procreate. The Bible even says that women should not rule over men. Most people do not take any notice of that rule and only use religion against minorities but in some countries people do follow this rule and let religion control their lives. All regions claim to be the right relgion and this has caused many wars in the past. Terrorism from the middle east today is partly due to religion. In some arabic states religion takes away the rights of women even today! Many women argue that they chose to behave in the way they do, but would it not be right to say that they have been brainwashed by religion?

Yes, it is and has been since the dawn of man. Look at the Middle East, that's the perfect example of that

uhhhhhh duuuuuhhhhh! of course it is. its the biggest barrier - or at least in the top 2 or 3.

yes you are right

lets be real- and here's the truth like it or not- religions are all bullshit- not only that, but all the different religions hate each other , and a lot of them will protest against science which is mans greatest tool. They'd rather live in ignorance than believe the truth. so is it a barrier? yes, its the biggest barrier we have.

yes it is.