Dear The World's Two Dominant Religions, You are doing it wrong.

     In modern-day times, when there is some sort of war or terrorist activity occurring, it is most commonly a conflict between followers of Islam and followers of Christianity - the two largest, most dominant religions in the world. This phenomenon is now not only occurring between the U.S. and Middle Eastern countries, but it has now expanded into other countries as well. The situation in France being the most recent example, as well as the beheadings in Great Britain. The tension between Islam and Christianity further intensifies with every passing day. And the only FACT that can be argued is that people are losing their lives in the name of religion. In the name of God. Completely ironic. Completely immoral. No matter what religion you follow.
     But what is most amazing to me is that we aren't even experiencing a battle between these two religions in their pure, original forms. Instead, it's a battle between two religions that have lost everything that they are supposed to stand for. Two broken systems that fight (literally to the death) to prove that their brokenness is somehow superior to the other's brokenness.
     I know I've said this before about Christianity specifically, but I would like to broaden this now to include both:
     Dear The World's Two Dominant Religions, You are doing it wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right. Brokenness vs. brokenness = more brokenness. You cannot "heal" something evil with your own evil. That's not how this works.

Just get over yourselves already. It's time that you each worry about fixing your own problems before you claim your religion to better than another. Much less fight to the death as if your's is perfect as it is in current form.

     This entire situation worldwide that is currently taking place between Islam and Christianity is ignorant and ridiculous. Why? Because we are experiencing two religions that really aren't all that different at their true core beliefs, but that have both become tainted by the values of the societies in which they are most prominent in, fight over issues that aren't even a part of their religion. This isn't an actual religious war. This is a societal war, using religion as a weapon. On both sides.
     What do I mean? Well, what are the actual similarities and differences between Islam and Christianity in terms of their belief systems? Both Islam and Christianity believe in one god, one higher power. The same higher power in fact. Both Islam and Christianity believe in Heaven and Hell in the afterlife. Both Islam and Christianity believe that Jesus Christ was born to Mary through immaculate conception. But Christianity believes Jesus was the actual Son of God, while Islam believes Jesus was just the "Prophet of God" that "surpassed greatness" here on Earth. Christianity also believes that Jesus died by crucifixion, while Islam believes that a follower of Christ took His place on the cross and He died later on. So, the difference between Islam and Christianity surrounds the "genetics" and death of Christ, and the similarities between them are that both believe that Jesus Christ was truly a model of morality and positive human life provided to us by God. The model of life that we should all be following.
      In today's "religious" war, are we experiencing tension over the "genetics" or death of Christ? No. Are we experiencing tension over the morality of Christ's life? No. Because neither Christianity or Islam as a whole follow the life of Christ any longer. Both have lost Christ in different ways, but nonetheless, both no longer model their way of living after his greatness. So, we aren't actually experiencing a war of religious beliefs. We are instead experiencing a war over the loss of Christ in both religious systems and a war over societal values. And the reason both have lost Christ is because of their individual societal problems. The economy. Civil rights. Etc. And they have lost Christ in different ways because of their differing societies and differing societal values. This is a societal war. Not a religious war.
     How do we fix it? Well, the relationship between religion and society is a dependent one. Society is affected by religion and religion is affected by society. Right now, religion is not solving our problems because both dominant religions have become too tainted by society. On both sides. So, it is time to recognize how both have become tainted by our differing values and to fix those problems in hopes that both dominant religions will begin to reflect Christ again. In other words, it's obviously not enough that both religions claim to honor Christ in one way or another, but society must be returned to being modeled after His life. This is going to take changes on both sides. Withdrawal from one another. Admittance of fault from both. Personal reflection. And then positive action. And the life of Christ is the key.
     Until then, we will continue to experience brokenness vs. brokenness = more brokenness, as well as broken religions being used as weapons against one another to the point of a loss of human life, with absolutely no positive progress.