Race and Religion

"Race" and "religion" are eminently similar concepts.

Both are often, but not necessarily, and to varying degrees, important to the identity of people.

Both are mutable, but neither with great ease, internally or externally. That is, while it is hard to adopt a new race, or convince yourself that you are no longer a member of a given race, and while it is hard to convince others that you have adopted a new race, or convince others that you are no longer a member of a given race, as with religion, it is not impossible to change or shed your race. Furthermore, both usually become more mutable in "mixed" households.

Both breed contempt. Both breed hatred. Both breed community. Both breed friendship.

Both carry presumptions of shared experience, and both carry presumptions of shared understanding, but neither shared experience nor understanding are necessary, and sometimes are uncommon.

Both are used to justify choosing one over another for marriage, usually without comment.

Both are man-made.

Both are harmful. Both are harmless.

Both race and religion start with "r."