Religion effects culture in many ways such as telling them what to believe in, how humanity started and their way of living in everyday life. I believe that religion is very important and can affect people in certain ways, especially that each religion has its diiferent beliefs. For example most religions believe in God so in a normal life they believe that a crime, cheating, are sins. In christianity people believe if you do something bad or turn out a bad person you will be sent to hell when others think the idea is ridiculous. In the islamic religion they have to pray five times and visit mecca at least once in their life time and they believe in the prophet Muhammad. Other religions aren't required to pray this many times or face a way nor visit anywhere so this effects them everyday to remember it and make time for it. They also have some rules that can affect girls and their way of dressing in public places so they have to pick clothes carefully. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God when other religions deny it and believe in other prophets. The religion tells them what to believe, in whom, their ways of eating, praying, and sometimes dressing. The places they pray aslo diifer such as the Jews who's place of sacredness is the Synagogue.
My opinion on this is that people are ususally born with their religion so they sometimes go with what they grew up to believe in. When people grow and mature they decide as some people do if they agree with what they believe in or they dont and decide to change to what fits them. Staying as neutral as possible, people are obviously going to defend their own religion because it's what they believe in and find other wrong. What i think is that they are not wrong, because it's what the religion is that's its belief and it's disrespectful to insult it because i sure wouldnt like anyone insuting Catholics. I do believe however that it is okay to disagree with other religions like me. Also people should make sure they know what they are disagreeing on before they judge a religion. I know i am affected by my religion such as gowing to church every sunday, because that is what my religion says. To sum it up religions play a big part in a person's life, and should not be taken lightly as a decision, because all of your beliefs come from it.
Source: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080516003325AA1M7ph