Religion is a powerful tool. Religion brings comfort, peace and community. It helps people through hard times and shows the purpose and meaning of life. Recently, religion has turned into a tool people use to avoid accountability. Discrimination has turned into the name of the Bible.

Pushing religion on others has become acceptable. It should be a tool for moral framework rather than justifying hate.

Religion must return to what it’s meant to represent. 

Religion at Its Core

At the core of all religions is the belief that our true purpose as human beings on Earth is to express and offer compassion to all living beings in both thought and action.

In Christianity, Jesus Christ spread messages of love and peace.

He taught his followers to “love thy neighbor as thyself,” emphasizing selflessness and generosity.

Buddha’s teachings focus on compassion for all beings.

The message shared across these faiths is clear. At their core, religions are meant to be a moral compass, directing individuals toward peace, compassion and understanding.

The Hijacking of Religion for Hate

Religion has turned into a tool to spread hate.

Individuals have used religion to promote views that directly contradict the moral imperatives of kindness and acceptance that lie at the heart of most faiths.

White supremacists, militia extremists and anti-abortion adherents use religious concepts and scripture to justify threats, criminal activity and violence.

Disowning children and family members for coming out as LGBTQ+ is not uncommon. Some interpretations of the Bible can be used to teach that homosexuality is a sin, but more importantly, all versions of the Bible teach us to love our neighbor.

Even Pope Francis has stated his more liberal opinion on LGBTQ+ individuals.

“If they [gay priests] accept the Lord and have goodwill, who am I to judge them? They shouldn’t be marginalized. The tendency [same-sex attraction] is not the problem … they’re our brothers,” he said in 2013.

The New Testament of the Bible has several references to loving your partner even if they are unbelieving.

The Bible does not preach hating anyone for any reason, whether they are gay or don’t practice the same religion as you.

The Catholic Church is well known to have a history of sexual abuse and a settlement that was paid off. The attorney general of Pennsylvania received a 900-page report seven years ago outlining the sexual abuse of children in the Catholic Church throughout Pennsylvania, along with a cover-up by senior church officials.

The Vatican expressed the shame and sorrow they felt after these findings.

This should not have happened in a community that is supposed to express love and kindness. This is not what religion preaches.

Religion has been integrated into politics more than ever. People are using religion to gain praise and respect.

Flashy religion is increasing.

Pushing religion on others has become more and more normalized. Social media is filled with religious opinions in places they shouldn’t be.

Matthew 6:1-6 in the Common English Bible says, “Be careful that you don’t practice your religion in front of people to draw their attention. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

Pushing religion as a way to gain attention and power is a sin. Spreading the gospel is different from forcing religion upon others. Religion has, without a doubt, strayed away from its core values.

Weaponizing Religion in Politics 

Condemning this use of religion is crucial.

The weaponization of religion is moving more and more toward legislation and federal law.

The First Amendment prohibits laws supporting an establishment of religion. This should set a firm line between church and state.

But the Constitution is enforced by Supreme Court justices who apply it to individual cases. The Supreme Court currently has a 6-3 Republican-appointed majority.

In the past, when church and state cases have been presented to the Supreme Court, these six Republican judges have made decisions in a way that aligns with a political movement closely associated with conservative Christianity.

Utah has interpreted church and state more and more, specifically in the past legislative sessions.

Last year’s HB269 added the “Ten Commandments” and the Magna Carta to a list of historical documents that schools may include in their curriculum. We must further separate church and state and continue to use religion as a personal moral framework.

To move forward, we must reclaim religion as a tool for moral guidance, not as a justification for hate.

Religious communities must take accountability for how their faith is used in society.

This means creating spaces for dialogue and fostering interfaith understanding. When different religious groups come together, they can better understand one another’s traditions, values and perspectives.

We must break down barriers and promote coexistence.

Religion was meant to be a source of peace and moral guidance, not a tool for justifying hate. Too often, we have seen it manipulated and misused by those seeking to push an agenda of discrimination and violence.

It is time to reclaim religion for what it was always meant to be: a framework for peace and love.