Rodney

Religions are all different traditions of worshipping God, understanding the universe, whatever. Back when people didn't more around so much, religions were regional; literally, what people believed in a given area based on their culture and history. Now, we all move around more, and so do our religions.

Like any good tradition or belief system, a religion contains mechanisms for its own self-preservation -- this is the one, right, and true way, pay no attention to what they do on the other side of the river, they're heathens (regional, see?). And the hierarchs who run these religions (not all religions have them) have a vested interest in keeping their flock from wandering away, so they keep up the walls between religion A and B (or Christian Sect A and B) with teachings and canons and all sorts of holy-sounding things that tell you that God _really_ is here, not there, don't go over there, DON'T go over there. Some of their followers buy the line, some don't. Actually, except for the most ingrown of religions, I'd say most followers are pretty okay with different religions.

Are all religions good? I would say, some are better than others. The ones that encourage you to seek out your fellow man with an open hand and love and help him/her _unconditionally_, not just as a potentional convert --- those are the keepers.