Dharma and Religion are non-synonimous.

In none of Bharatheeya foundational Scriptures numbering over 2,400 one can see
a word HINDU, much less as a religion. All our scriptures and related literature use the world DHARMA in a sense that is much wider and much different than the meaning conveyed by the word RELIGION
Dharma is an universal approach to matters related to DIVINE. We are taught to see
DIVINUTY IN ALL THAT EXISTS -- CHARACHAR. 
BHARATHEEYA RACE is therefore, not violent to others who don't join them in
their approach to god.
The Bharateeya concept of GOD, evolved over more than 10,000 years, so we are bound to have a large no of variations.
We had Kapil muni -- the originator of Sankhya Darshan who said there is no ISHWAR -- only purush (any thing that has INTELLIGENCE) and Prakriti. But he talked of Kaivalya -- which is the end of ALL SORROWS and a state of TOTAL BLISS. This is the NIREESHWARVAD.
He was followed by Patanjali Muni who said that there is Ishwar and the Purush gets to the stage of almost the Kaivalya by his own effort but the final culmination can be achieved only through the blessings of God. And how was God -- what characteristics? To this Panini's answer was NIRGUN - NIRAKAR God.
The journey proceeded from Nireeshwarwad to Nirgun Ishwar and then to Sagun Ishwar -- the earliest concept of Sagun Ishwar being Aadi-Shakti depicted by Durga-Saptashati. Then others like Shiva and Vishnu followed -- giving rise to cults. Around 2300 back came Buddha who once again propounded the idea of NO ISHWAR but did talk of Nirwan which is similar to Kaivalya.
The freedom to choose your own concept of God and to channelise your Aatmic energy towards God is available in the Bharateeya Darshan and the oneness of all forms of God is its core character. Even Shankaracharya, while preaching Adwaita, cannot resist the temptation of composing a beautiful Stotra Bhaj Govindam. He describes his Dwaita and Adwaita from God by giving lovely example of a wave that arises in the sea -- is it one with sea or apart from sea?
Today lot of disharmony is spread because of a confusion that arises out of equating the word Religion with the word Dharma. We must promote the use of the word Dharma as non-synonimous to religion. It has to be an effort by ALL and not just few individuals to emphasize that Dharma has a meaning larger than the meaning conveyed by Religion.
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