Once upon a time, faith was about purpose. About meaning. About finding some kind of guiding light in the messy, chaotic dumpster fire that is life. And for a lot of people, it still is.
But somewhere along the way, faith stopped being about what we stand for and became about who we stand against. Instead of lifting people up, it started kicking people out. Instead of offering hope, it became a checklist of who’s in and who’s out. Instead of bringing peace, it became just another war.
And let’s be real: That’s some B@ST@RD-tier bulls#*t.
So how the hell did we get here? Why do so many religious or spiritual movements end up as tribal battlegrounds? And—more importantly—how do we bring faith back to what actually matters?
Let’s break this s#*t down.
The Shift: From Shared Values to Shared Enemies
At its best, faith is about connection. It’s about finding purpose, embracing love, and building something greater than yourself. It’s about shared values—things like:
✅ Compassion (Don’t be a d!ck.)
✅ Humility (You don’t know everything, and that’s okay.)
✅ Hope (Life sucks sometimes, but you can keep going.)
✅ Community (You don’t have to do this alone.)
But when faith takes a dark turn, those shared values get replaced with shared enemies. Suddenly, the focus shifts from “How can we be better?” to “Who’s ruining everything?”
🚨 The LGBTQ+ community? A threat.
🚨 Other religions? Dangerous.
🚨 Science? Evil.
🚨 The “wrong” kind of believers? Heretics.
This isn’t new. History is full of moments where faith turned into a battlefield. The Crusades. The Inquisition. Witch trials. Holy wars. Even modern religious movements that started with kindness can spiral into “us vs. them” tribalism if they aren’t careful.
Why the H#LL Does This Keep Happening?
Faith turning into a fight isn’t a fluke—it’s a pattern. And it keeps happening because of three main reasons:
1. Tribalism: The Brain’s Default Setting
Our brains are wired to form tribes. It’s what kept early humans from getting eaten by saber-toothed tigers—stick with your group, trust your people, survive. That instinct hasn’t gone away, and religion often taps right into it.
Tribes aren’t bad—community is essential. But when faith stops being about truth and starts being about loyalty, s#*t gets messy. Suddenly, questioning anything becomes betrayal. Dissenters get cast out. And instead of growing in wisdom, people double down on whatever their group says is true.
2. Fear Is a More Powerful Motivator Than Love
Faith should be about love—but fear is a hell of a lot easier to sell.
Want people to stay loyal? Convince them there’s an enemy waiting to destroy them. Fear is emotional crack, and once people get addicted to it, they’ll defend their tribe with everything they’ve got.
That’s why religious leaders (or politicians who use religion) love to play the fear card. Keep people scared, keep them loyal, keep them from asking too many questions.
3. Power Corrupts (And Faith Can Be a Power Game)
Let’s be real—faith isn’t just personal, it’s political. And when people in power realize they can use religion to control others, they will.
They’ll tell you who to hate.
They’ll tell you who to blame.
And they’ll tell you that faithfulness = obedience.
But faith was never supposed to be about control. It was supposed to be about truth. And the second faith gets hijacked for power, it stops being about values and starts being about keeping the “wrong people” out.
What Happens When Faith Becomes a Fight?
When faith turns into a war zone, a few things happen—none of them good.
1. People Stop Growing
If faith becomes more about defending the tribe than seeking truth, then curiosity dies. Questions become dangerous. Doubt becomes betrayal. And people just follow the script instead of actually searching for meaning.
2. Faith Gets Weaponized
When faith is used as a weapon, it stops being about love and starts being about control. Instead of helping people, it becomes a tool to punish them. That’s how you get purity culture, religious extremism, and straight-up abuse happening in the name of God.
3. The Most Loving People Get Pushed Out
This is the saddest part. The people who actually embody the values of faith—kindness, humility, justice—often get kicked out by the ones who just want power. And when that happens, faith becomes an empty, angry shell of what it was supposed to be.
How Do We Bring Faith Back to What Matters?
Alright, we’ve established that faith can go off the rails. But that doesn’t mean it has to stay there. If we want faith to actually matter, we have to pull it back to what made it meaningful in the first place.
1. Make Values the Priority Again
Instead of focusing on who’s “wrong,” focus on what’s right. Make faith about compassion, integrity, kindness, and justice—not just about tribal loyalty.
2. Question Everything (Yes, Even the Stuff That Feels Safe)
If faith can’t handle tough questions, then it’s not real faith—it’s just a comfort blanket. Real faith should be strong enough to handle doubt, new information, and changing perspectives.
3. Love People More Than Rules
If your religion values rules over people, it’s missing the f^%king point. Period.
4. Drop the Fear-Based Bulls#*t
If someone is selling faith based on fear, they’re selling snake oil. Real faith isn’t about being scared into belief—it’s about being drawn toward truth.
5. Remember: Faith Is Personal, Not a Weapon
Faith is supposed to make you a better person—not give you an excuse to control others. If your faith inspires love, kindness, and wisdom, you’re doing it right. If it inspires hate, judgment, and superiority, it’s time to rethink some s#*t.
FAQ: Let’s Tackle Some Objections Before You Even Ask
“Are you saying all religion is bad?”
Nope. I’m saying religion gets twisted when it stops being about values and starts being about tribal warfare. There’s a huge difference between faith that uplifts and faith that controls.
“But my faith is about truth, not feelings!”
Cool. But if your “truth” is being used to hurt people, you might want to double-check whether you’re still following it—or just using it as a weapon.
“Aren’t there some things worth fighting for?”
Absolutely. Fight for justice. Fight for kindness. Fight for actual f^%king goodness. Just don’t get so caught up in hating enemies that you forget to actually love people.
Don’t Be a D!ck
At the end of the day, faith should make you better, not bitter. It should bring hope, not fear. It should connect people, not divide them.
So whatever you believe—believe it with love. Because if faith loses love, it loses everything.
And for f^%k’s sake… don’t be a d!ck.