Religion: An Answer or a Cult?

 Many seek religion, whether Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Islam. But sometimes, belief can be more problematic than helpful. Some seek out faith in times of crisis, like when someone they care about falls ill or feels like they've lost their way and their life is spinning out of control. There are those who join a religion because it helps them better understand themselves, the world, and life. But some use their religion as a way to hurt others. They prop themselves on top of their religion and use their views to tear down other people and make themselves feel more important than they are. So it comes to whether religion is genuinely an answer or more like a cult. Take this as an example. I'm a Christian, but I have friends who aren't. Either because they used to be but due to some issues about the church they attended, the family they grew up in, or even how society has treated them because they don't fit whatever idealistic mold the Bible says we have to check to appease closeminded Christians changed that, or some just didn't feel like Christianity was the right fit for them. Does that make me less of a Christian by associating with them? By the thoughts of some other Christians, yes, it does. Because if I'm not spreading the gospel or trying to get them to come over to Christ, then I shouldn't be hanging out with them. Screw that, respectively. They are some of my closest friends. I can tell them anything and everything. Things I can't talk to my Christian friends without fear of being judged. I'm sure some Christians would say that if I have things in my mind that I'm afraid to discuss with them, then I shouldn't be thinking about them and that the thoughts probably aren't Christ-like. Shut up, respectively. Maybe you're just righteously judgmental. That's some of the main issues. Too much judgment from a religion makes people genuinely afraid to speak their minds. The way I see it, as long as they aren't entirely tearing down, and I mean REALLY tearing down the religion or trying to get me to leave, then I shouldn't be made to feel like I am not a true or even a good Christian just because I have friends who can talk about things other than sports of God. If you are the type of person who is part of a religion but you are accepting of those who don't share your same viewpoint/is a part of another religion, as long as you both are being the least bit respectful (no one's asking for a miracle) of each other enough to not crap on the other's beliefs, then I see no reason why you can't get along or be friends. And I'll admit, there's not a lot that I agree with regarding the Christian religion. For those same reasons, my (sort of) non-christian friends and I have a mutual stomping ground. Again, I don't think that makes me any less of a Christian; I just think that means God gave me (us) a mind of mine (our) own so we can think for ourselves and decide what's best for us. Religion's role in people's lives can be seen as a blessing and/or a curse. The idea is that one has to entirely give up parts of who they are just so they can fit in with that religion to feel accepted by the people of that religion. It's okay to be passionate about your religion. But don't force it on others, and don't make it into a weapon you use against others. There are reasons why people talk wrong about religion, and I feel that a significant percentage is because of many people in the religion. Yeah, you're the problem. The drama. And I'm not writing this to upset anyone; I'm just writing this to bring awareness to a problem that many religions have so that they can open their eyes to why people may not want to mess with it.