Believing in a Moral God: How Faith Can Bridge Divides

People often think that believing in a moral God brings people of the same faith together. But does this belief also help people from different faiths work together? Recent studies show that when people think about God, they tend to trust and be trusted more, not just by their own religious group, but also by others. Researchers did three studies with over 1, 700 people from different countries. They included Christians, Muslims, Jews, and Hindus. The studies took place in the United States, Israel, and Fiji. These places have different levels of conflict between religious groups. In these studies, people played a game with real money. They could choose to trust someone from their own group or from a different group. The results showed that when people thought about God, they were more likely to cooperate with both their own group and other groups. This is important because it shows that faith can help people work together, even when they come from different backgrounds. It also suggests that believing in a moral God can make people more trustworthy and cooperative in general. The findings challenge the idea that religion only brings people of the same faith together. Instead, it shows that faith can be a powerful force for unity and cooperation among different groups.