A conversation on TED.com: Which is most powerful to unify the world? Social networks or religion?

Bilal Saad
baghdad
Iraq

United Nation member

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Which is most powerful to unify the world? Social networks or religion?

We need one world with same goals in each country They can feed back another country and work together. When a country has a disaster the entire world can stand up to help it.

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Topics: educate envirnoment religion social network the world

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Kevin Redican
- 0
Nov 23 2011: Unification of the world would be an extra-religious social networking event. Keeping it unified would require something of a religious reformation. Religion is social networking.
Gerry Atricks
- +1
Nov 16 2011: Bilal Hi. I think the answer to your question is social networks. We have had religion for many centuries and it does not seem to have brought us closer together. Either by country or individual. It most often drives us apart and seperates us and divide us .Ie. as Christians Muslimas and Jews they are all brothers with the same ancestory. the same God and yet they could not be more separate from one another in todays world. Except outside the realm of religion. Such as this web forum. However you and I can and are talking about Ideas over a sort of social network right here on TED. Doubtful I could do this with you inside a mosque a church a synagogue it just would not be tolerated unless we were all of the same religious view. But here it is possible simply just by the mere fact that religion has nothing to do with the basis which allows us to talk with one another.
Matthieu Miossec 100+
- 0
TED Translator Associate

Nov 12 2011: Remember when India was one big country because its two main religions were so unified? No? Me neither. Religion is almost certainly the worse way to unify people. That's why there's India and Pakistan rather than one big Indian nation (amongst other historical reasons of course).

Social networks are too. But nobody honestly believes that they will unify the world. This question is as obviously one-sided as its instigator's personal agenda as plain as day. Keep trying to flaunt the merits of your religion. It won't work any better now then it has in previous conversations.
Raphaël Musio
- +1
Oct 27 2011: religion ? of course not !
Ecology would be a good project, i like much Gaïa's theory so if you want divinity read James Lovelock.
Xiaowei Zhang
- 0
Oct 26 2011: depend on how you define"unification"
Clifford Warner 50+
- 0
TED Attendee

Oct 25 2011: The one that promotes open communication and discussion is going to out weight the other. Both Religion and Social Networks have allow and discouraged openness. When either is used to only promote ones vision while not listening to others their influencing is reduced. For me it all comes down to how we use them.
Zdenek Smith 100+
- +3
Host Associate

Oct 25 2011: Neither. Social networks and religions are tools and frameworks, themselves they do not do much.

I think what unifies people is empathy, understanding that helping others is rewarding and the right thing to do. Everyone got help throughout their life whether they realize it or not. Society, family, friends, volunteers and others are together creating a better world. Contributing back to the world is the right thing to do, whatever beliefs you might have.
- Bilal Saad
  - 0
  Oct 25 2011: Hi Zdenek, That is right what about countries? Not friend , Not family, Not volunteers so what is it?
  - Zdenek Smith 100+
    
    0
    Host Associate
    
    Oct 25 2011: Hi Bilal, in some way countries divide rather than unite the world? However if people in each country engage in political process then they can ensure that their government represents and reflects values of its people and does the right thing. The government then will spend some of its resources on helping other countries?
    
    So I think both countries and individuals can help when there is a disaster or even help with continuing effort in countries where education and infrastructure is lacking. cheers
Gerald O'brian 30+
- 0
Oct 25 2011: Religion is what keeps the world from unifying.
- Bilal Saad
  - 0
  Oct 25 2011: Hi Gerald, What Religion ask for and what it is gain from that?
  - Gerald O'brian 30+
    
    0
    Oct 25 2011: Religion was established to help tribal identity, and also tribal identity vis a vis other tribes.
    I think Islam and Judaism, for instance, are slowing down the peace process in middle east. If no religion was there, it'd be easier to unify these people.
    - Matthieu Miossec 100+
      
      +2
      
      TED Translator Associate
      
      Nov 12 2011: So true. Can you imagine the Israelo-Palestinian conflict without religion? My bet is that it would closer to being solved than it is now. There wouldn't be any conflict in the first place given that there would be no so-called 'promise land'. Tense relations between India and Pakistan? There would be no Pakistan, there would be one united Indian country, just as Gandhi would have liked. Truly religion is one more excuse for people to be divided on.
Salim Solaiman 50+
- +5
Oct 25 2011: It's neither of your options but a 3rd one which is HUMANITY.
- Bilal Saad
  - +1
  Oct 25 2011: Hi Salim, That good option Humanity, Humanity it's Human nature, psychological characteristics that all normal humans have in common
  - Compassion
  - Empathy
  - Altruism
  - Aggression
  - Fear
  let us apply these things in a world what will happen what is reaction about those characteristics:-
  
  - Compassion and Empathy without limitation gives Tyranny.
  - Altruism and Fear without limitation gives Cowardice.
  - Aggression without limitation gives WAR WORLD III.
  
  Now These limitation can make by religion.
  - Gerald O'brian 30+
    
    +3
    Oct 25 2011: How? A lot of people think WW3 scenarios include religion fanatics.
    How does religion limit anything? Throughout history, how many aggressions on the account of religious belief?
  - Salim Solaiman 50+
    
    +1
    Oct 25 2011: Hi Bilal
    I agree with Gerald.
    Your thoughts about religion is neither supported by history of past nor current happenings, so can't take your proposition about religion as "wishful thinking" even.....sorry.
  - Matthieu Miossec 100+
    
    0
    TED Translator Associate
    
    Nov 12 2011: There is no such thing as cowardice coming out of altruism.
    
    Also I don't see religion as a limiting factor for aggression. Quite the contrary, faith + aggression leads to disgusting acts like 9/11 or gay bashing.
    
    Also isn't religion to a certain extent fearful adulation of God and fear of judgment. I'd think the fear of Hell certainly would motivate people to do things that are completely nuts in the name of their religion at the expense of others.
    
    Religion is divisive, but humanity is something we all have in common. As usual Salim is right on the mark!