Is Religion A Major Cause Of Violence?

Introduction

The situation around the world which had given the common perception of religion is causing the violence because of the growing number of incidents are based on the religious reasons. The media broadcast the news which interlinks the religion to violence by claiming the extremism on any belief. The history if observe closely will give the number of example in which the causes of all great wars started on the basis of conflict among people regarding religion. The complexity among the intersection between violence and religion is an ongoing debate and the result of it intertwining both but still the definite answer yet to be gained^[1]. This essay will analyze the relationship between violence and religion by highlighting different arguments of researchers on the basis of historical events.

Discussion

Every religion around the world practiced on the basis of peace and love by spreading harmony of order in the society. The religion which had been started to become the cause of violence is on the basis of misinterpretation of the messages. The sacred texts on all the religion are being interpreted by different people with different mindset and those who goes into the violent acts by describing those sacred texts accordingly. It is the people who commit acts of violence rather the religion itself recommends to commit any act which includes those practice with whom people experience violence. The studies which had conducted on all the religion around the world had shown the results that they spread the message of peace and the practices mostly are harmless. The factors will be further discussed as well in order to understand the argument that religion can be a potential cause of violence^[2].

There are number of studies which goes into the favor of that religion causes the violence and extremisms which affects the harmony of this world. The reason behind such acts is not directly links with the religion itself but the attachment towards religion convince people not to compromise on the will as they interpreted of the God rather they could possible can compromise on the dispute which includes worldly matters. However, religion which spread the message of love and peace should be opposite of hate but when the extremism started intertwining the love takes the form of passion. The clear example here could comprehend that when the love started be the reason of violence, the love between man and woman at times reaches to that level it involves jealousy and in result the several cases of murder had happened^[3].

The misinterpretation which was mentioned earlier which causes the religion a potential reason of violence. The sacred texts of religion which were sent by the God were supposed to spread love but those who are influenced by the extremism interpreted them as they desire to justify the act of violence through the message of God. The conflicts which had occurred in the past whether modern or ancient were considered to be religious reasons. There are several examples which could analyzed in order to understand those incidents and the connection of religion with them. The Crusade Wars which were happened in Muslim and Christian sides and caused bloodshed by the mass conflict. Not just the Muslims and Christian but Jews who believe on the oldest religion of this world currently practiced had also committed the genocide for serving the sole purpose and that is religious people^[4].

Apart from the ancient examples from the past, the modern conflicts had also served the same reason and the example can be taken back from 1991 in which Orthodox Christian, Catholics and Muslims committed bloodshed because of religion conflicts. The violence among different ethnic groups had also happened because of violence and not among different but even the same group had committed violence to each other because of the religious conflicts. The example basis on the ethnic group violence can be taken from the Burma where monks were killed and executed. The Christian reformation had also been the reason where thousands of people were killed due to religious belief. The significant reason behind the violence specifically occurred due to the religious reasons is that those who commit violence believed that all the acts which are being committed by them are right. Several of the times it is also have been seen and witnessed that religious violence were happened because they believe they were protecting the their religion^[5].

Contrarily, the teaching of every religion throughout the history of this world from past and present serves the purpose of spreading peace rather violence. Never for once throughout the past any preacher invited people to commit the violence for the problems which were existed and experienced by the people. The Quran, Torah and the Bible scriptures which are considered to be most sacred and widely followed by millions of people comprised of rules and principles that gives the message to people to abide the rules and regulation which they conveyed. The studies which had been conducted on those sacred texts gave the findings that all the teachings and principles of the different religions of this world spread peace and forbid violence of any kind in a same manner. There’s a single line difference between them and mostly practices the same things. Their messages regarding harming, stealing and any other act of injustice are alike which condemns all these acts.

The examples which had been stated above regarding the violence which were committed by the people who were the followers of any particular religion can be the proof that religion is the cause of violence will be the wrong perception. The interpretation which had been done differently had caused the violence and in fact the main reasons which had been suggested by renowned scholars and psychologists suggested that true reasons of violence in the world are mostly happened because political, economic and ethnic disputes. Before forming any kind of firm perception all the reasons and arguments presented through studies should be analyzed. The past incidents which were known to be conflict of people due to religion and caused the violence and extremists were actually happened due to several other reasons and religious conflict was one of them. Those who believe the religion is the sole reason of conflicts, violence and terrorism always missed the external factors which had also influences all the past incidents. The reason of highlighting the religion is because it’s the only way those who had committed such acts could justify those acts^[6].

The economic reason has always been the playing major role in all the violence and wars happened in the past. The wars which they claimed had started for the religious reasons were actually happened to gain the lands which eventually proven to be the benefit for those soldiers economically. The Muslims, who had been engaged in the wars throughout years were basically fought for the land to harvest and preserve them. If for once the economic gains could eliminate from all the wars which had happened then there is no reason left for those religious people to commit violence and engage in war then there is nothing left in those war to commit. What justify people would have given by those people to commit the wars. If taking all the examples from the past which had been known because of the religious conflicts and religion is eliminated from those incidents then the real reasons will be exposed which had cause those act of violence. All of those incidents were happened because of power and wealth greed. The terrorism and warfare which is the major conflict in today’s world is known because of the religious reasons and religion should be eliminated to understand those acts of violence^[7].

When it comes to the believers of any religious group there are all types of people with different mid sets and perception. In a religion where people who are committing act of violence, in the meantime there are several other people who living peacefully, spreading message of peace and harmony which should also considered before making any perception about any particular religion. Despite the common idea of that religion which they follow but the choices they made depends upon the people not the religion. For example, if take a look on the Al-Qaida which is spreading violence, terrorism and extremisms but in the meantime there are other Muslims who are living peacefully and they are not responsible for those acts of violence. Even if those peaceful Muslims show their sympathy to Al-Qaida but still that act of there is not the indication they also commit the violence. The perception and choices which people make depends upon themselves rather the religion and if the religion is responsible for the violence than all the followers should announce holy wars.

Religion have always been the only reasonable justify for those people who believes in the violence and wanted to full fill their own person gains whether political or economic but the justification is always the religion. Although, all the religion in the world are spreading message of peace and love but the interpretation of the Holy Scripture is the sole reason of being the cause of violence. The current wars and the significant wars from the past have been started by the people who wanted to gain their personal benefit. World War 2 was started by the Germany and Hitler uses the religion but in reality he was looking for the power and land to conquer rather against the Jews. The constant state of war between Israel and Jerusalem is because of the land not because of the difference of opinion regarding the religion. The history can show that all the wars which had been committed in that particular area of Jerusalem was because of the land started from Jews and religion and then Muslim and Christian which comes here among the Jews and Muslims. All the wars which took place there is because of capturing the land and show the strength^[8].

The connection between religion and politics have always caused the reasons of committing the violence which occurred and affected many people. All those countries which had been the victim of religious wars can be the example of how politics and religion involvement in each other caused the wars among the people. When religion is being used to justify the acts of politicians who in reality tried to gain their own personal gains caused insurgencies. Even today, several of the countries which follows the religious laws are being involved in the holy war. The example can be taken from the Middle East where the wars are creating violence which had actually started with the dispute of worldly thing. The politician who had sued the religion to justify his act started the war because showing it’s the religious duty but in reality that politician was insecure because of his political power.

The cultural connection also played role in the religious violence. There are Muslim countries in which Muslims are being insecure that their identify being a Muslim is in danger. The engage themselves in the practice of religion openly and command other fellow people to do the same. In doing so, those who started representing the religion in public gained the piousness title and can use the religion in any way. The conflict if arises on the basis of interpretation of the religious scripture that used the religion to inflict violence against those who raises the voice against those people. IN the end, the researcher who had provided the findings that religion is not the sole reason but economic and political reason played significant role in the violence. The question with which this essay started that religion can play role in the violence then only if the religion when used for personal gain can be the reason of violence but the religion is and can never be the sole reason because the violence is the contradictory approach of religion.

Conclusions

In a conclusive tone, reasons and arguments which had presented in the essay through several examples can justify by presenting firm perception about religion and violence. The history if observe closely will give the number of example in which the causes of all great wars started on the basis of conflict among people regarding religion. The complexity among the intersection between violence and religion is an ongoing debate and the result of it intertwining both but still the definite answer yet to be gained. The studies which had conducted on all the religion around the world had shown the results that they spread the message of peace and the practices mostly are harmless. The factors will be further discussed as well in order to understand the argument that religion can be a potential cause of violence. The religion which spread the message of love and peace should be opposite of hate but when the extremism started intertwining the love takes the form of passion. The clear example here could comprehend that when the love started be the reason of violence, the love between man and woman at times reaches to that level it involves jealousy and in result the several cases of murder had happened. The conflicts which had occurred in the past whether modern or ancient were considered to be religious reasons. There are several examples which could analyzed in order to understand those incidents and the connection of religion with them. The significant reason behind the violence specifically occurred due to the religious reasons is that those who commit violence believed that all the acts which are being committed by them are right.

The Quran, Torah and the Bible scriptures which are considered to be most sacred and widely followed by millions of people comprised of rules and principles that gives the message to people to abide the rules and regulation which they conveyed. The studies which had been conducted on those sacred texts gave the findings that all the teachings and principles of the different religions of this world spread peace and forbid violence of any kind in a same manner. Before forming any kind of firm perception all the reasons and arguments presented through studies should be analyzed. The past incidents which were known to be conflict of people due to religion and caused the violence and extremists were actually happened due to several other reasons and religious conflict was one of them. The Muslims, who had been engaged in the wars throughout years were basically fought for the land to harvest and preserve them. If for once the economic gains could eliminate from all the wars which had happened then there is no reason left for those religious people to commit violence and engage in war then there is nothing left in those war to commit. What justify people would have given by those people to commit the wars. If taking all the examples from the past which had been known because of the religious conflicts and religion is eliminated from those incidents then the real reasons will be exposed which had cause those act of violence. All of those incidents were happened because of power and wealth greed.

The perception and choices which people make depends upon themselves rather the religion and if the religion is responsible for the violence than all the followers should announce holy wars. The current wars and the significant wars from the past have been started by the people who wanted to gain their personal benefit. World War 2 was started by the Germany and Hitler uses the religion but in reality he was looking for the power and land to conquer rather against the Jews. The constant state of war between Israel and Jerusalem is because of the land not because of the difference of opinion regarding the religion. The connection between religion and politics have always caused the reasons of committing the violence which occurred and affected many people. All those countries which had been the victim of religious wars can be the example of how politics and religion involvement in each other caused the wars among the people. The question with which this essay started that religion can play role in the violence then only if the religion when used for personal gain can be the reason of violence but the religion is and can never be the sole reason because the violence is the contradictory approach of religion. Religion is personal belief of any human being which should never interfere in the public matters, the politics and economic gains should be separated from the religion because it had been used and manipulated wrongly.

End Notes

1. Roth, Donald. “Imagining the Kingdom: The Intersection of Religion and Violence.” (2015).
2. Woodhead, Linda, Christopher Partridge, and Hiroko Kawanami, eds. Religions in the modern world: Traditions and transformations. Routledge, 2016.
3. Moore, James. “Religion and Violence: Thinking again about the Link.” Religions 8, no. 6 (2017): 111.
4. Leaman, Oliver. “Religion and Violence: how symbiotic a relationship?.” Religions 2016 (2016): 6.
5. Mann, Richard D. “Exploring the myths of religion and violence in India.” (2016): 115-119.
6. Wilson, Erin K. “Secular War: Myths of Religion, Politics and Violence.” (2015): 530-532.
7. Wright, Joshua D. “More Religion, Less Justification for Violence.” Archive for the Psychology of Religion 38, no. 2 (2016): 159-183.
8. Armstrong, Karen. Fields of blood: Religion and the history of violence. Random House, 2015.
9. Roth, Donald. “Imagining the Kingdom: The Intersection of Religion and Violence.” (2015). ↑
10. Woodhead, Linda, Christopher Partridge, and Hiroko Kawanami, eds. Religions in the modern world: Traditions and transformations. Routledge, 2016. ↑
11. Moore, James. “Religion and Violence: Thinking again about the Link.” Religions 8, no. 6 (2017): 111. ↑
12. Leaman, Oliver. “Religion and Violence: how symbiotic a relationship?.” Religions 2016 (2016): 6. ↑
13. Mann, Richard D. “Exploring the myths of religion and violence in India.” (2016): 115-119. ↑
14. Wilson, Erin K. “Secular War: Myths of Religion, Politics and Violence.” (2015): 530-532. ↑
15. Wright, Joshua D. “More Religion, Less Justification for Violence.” Archive for the Psychology of Religion 38, no. 2 (2016): 159-183. ↑
16. Armstrong, Karen. Fields of blood: Religion and the history of violence. Random House, 2015. ↑