There is a lot of overlap in today’s society between stereotyping and religion. On one hand, an individual’s religion can make them a target for discrimination. For example, events like the 9/11 attacks fueled a rise in hate crimes against Muslims in the United States. People began to construct false stereotypes about the connection between Muslims and terrorist behavior. This has had significant consequences for Muslims in America, even though the beliefs are not based on facts. For instance, practicing Muslims wearing veils are often pulled aside for questioning at airports.

On the other hand, religious beliefs can also be used to justify discriminatory social behavior. For example, consider how many people who oppose same-sex marriage cite Christianity’s sacred text, the Bible, to support their views. This has led to a lot of bias on all sides of the issue, as many people now judge Christians solely because some Christians express this discriminatory belief.

The growth of social media has played a huge role in the spread of such stereotypes. It is extremely easy for someone to spread false information online without citing their source. For example, people can exaggerate crimes by members of a specific religion like Islam to argue that all members of the religion are suspicious. It is common for average social media users to not distinguish between religious extremism and common religious practice. This can spread irrational fear and tension between religious groups. It is also common for people to follow other users on social media that share their same beliefs. This can mean that people can choose what social views they are consuming rather than being forced to confront facts.