Religion is a central aspect of culture, as is the critical evaluation of different types of religion. Since 9/11 religion and different manifestations of it have been far more in the public eye in western societies than they had been since the Enlightenment. Yet, not all forms of religion are necessarily good for those who adhere to them and for others. Some types of religion are de-humanizing and need to be resisted whilst others are profoundly humanizing and good.

In "Good and Bad Religion" Peter Vardy, one of the leading moral educators in the UK, seeks to provide criteria to separate good and bad manifestations of religion - central to this are United Nations declarations on rights and the broad agreement, found in the Western and Eastern philosophical conditions, that there is a single human nature which all human beings share and certain types of attitudes and behaviour can be profoundly damaging.