The other group of people that deviate from the norm are the religious. Although religion has been around the longest, the religious haven't. The religious are a group in society who choose to be separate from the norm - for the sake of their religion. Although, historically, the religious were the leaders, divinely chosen, and the intellectuals were on the fringe trying to rule - trying to get the center of society. This would never occur! What did happen, beginning in the 1960's, was that intellectualism became the norm, leaving intellectuals on the fringe.

The end of the religious society brought in the secular/humanist society - and the leaders of the old society (the religious) now join the intellectuals on the fringe. It's in this environment that the religious actually becomes a group. Like the intellectual, they differentiate themselves from the average by reading and studying. The average are born into a religion and live their lives never making a conscious choice. The religious, born or not born into a religion, make their religion (religious choice) a conscious choice. However, in a secular/humanist society these choices are no longer revered, rather they are reviled.

The problem occurs in religion's history - a history filed with violence. Violence, that intellectuals (and intellectualism) blames on religious intolerance. You will find, in just about every religious choice - violence. Violence done because of religion and in the name of religion. Roman Catholics have a long history of violence with the crusades and the inquisition - done to save the souls of sinners. Roman Catholic monks, literally, create an Imperial Christian God, to whom the divine right to rule was given. All land on Earth is theirs, all people - their servants (under God).

Protestant reforms, posted by Martin Luther, argued for the reformation of the church and against the abuses by the Pope. From here, as the Pope violently tried to suppress the heresies of the Protestants, the result was only more descent and more fracture. Particularly, in the new world - America. Now, the number of groups who view their views as truth, litter the world. This was just the Christians, with the opening of religious freedom in America - and spread to the world after world war II - Jews were free to practice Judaism, Muslims free to practice Islam, and anyone to practice any belief they wished.

Now the battle of religions has begun - with the atheist intellectuals taking a position, as well. Communist rebels take over governments and kill anyone who opposes them. Just as the religious rebels do when they take power. Socialists view a unisex - uniculture society with no differences and no choices (to make a choice is to discriminate) and a "Big Brother" for government. While, religious dogma promises complete dominion to those who support its triumph.