Do you think that perhaps Religion/Religious Beliefs and Doctrines have and still are ONE of the main causes of the divisivenesses plaguing Human kind?
I think that it is one expression of divisiveness. We all have a need to belong. And, the less educated we are, that need to belong to a group is often treated by others who don’t belong to our group. The others are viewed as disruptive, whether they are or not, and that disruption must be stopped. Thus, divisiveness. The norms of others and other groups are a threat to our group norms and beliefs and our group must be defended from disruption — usually by casting out the intruding other.
I think they're one in a slew of things dividing humans. Main cause? Hard to tell.
My sister's extreme Christiantiy, her brainwashing of my neice, and my parents' support of it has made me suicidal. I am not in a good place at all.
I'm ever so sorry to hear of your situation my friend. Hopefully the child/young person in question will one day waken and begin to question what she has been brainwashed with.