It sems that many of man's wars have not been based on Expansion as Religion. This also goes for twisted ideologies Like Hitlers, and Genocide.\n\nWhat do you think?
198968
Blame it on religion, religion has caused untold death and misery down the centuries and continues to do so.\n\nThe Catholic Church has the blood of millions of Africans on their hands because of the Church's ban on condoms in a continent ravaged by Aids. Most third world countries, in Latin America, Africa and Asia have burgeoning populations leading to poverty, disease and hunger...all thanks to religion. I could go on, but you get my drift.
570974
Personally I think that is becuase people don't truely understand tolerance or if they do, they are not willing to take tolerance to it's logical conculsion. For if they were really tolerant it means they will have to put the needs/desires/wants of other before thier own needs/desires/wants. And while we would all agree that sounds nice and should be the norm. Not many people are will to truely do so.\n\nAs for war, if it wasn't religion inciting war, man will find something else to fight about. It all boils down to simple selfishiness on the part of humanity.
658407
I asked this same question and the answers were hilarious. You are dealing with an irrational brainwashed mass of idiots. The bible was stolen from Pagans, Romans, Greeks, all kinds of people. And, used to cause more death and destruction than all wars combined (heck, most wars were caused by christians)
545858
After reading the article you linked to I can only say that one would probably need to read the research to really understand where the study is coming from. I really have to challenge some of the assumptions that are made such as Britain being a secular society and US being a religious one. My personal experience is exactly the opposite so I wonder what they based that assumption on?\n\nUntil I know exactly how they measured what societies are religions and what are not it is impossible to comment on their conclusions. But one thing I can say is that nowhere in the article do them mention any native religions or non-western ones so that would be a bias that invalidates the study anyway.\n\nNeed to read more on this.\n\nPeace and Blessings,\n\nSalim
448014
I don't think the war is a religious war.  I think religion is being used to incite and motivate the masses to fight for political gain and tribal conquest.  There are leaders in Iraq, hidden in the shadows, pulling the strings on their followers.  It's not paranoia, it's the truth.  It's a huge power struggle at this point with a religious back drop.\n\nOne thing is clear, America is all but helpless in Iraq right now.  There is no military goal that can be won at this point.  It's difficult for me to see that, but it's true I fear.
216687
Honestly, it's just another excuse for violence and mayhem that can be blamed on something other than them.   If you call them a name, they will feel obligated to retailiate with war.   \n\nIt is comical how various religions have to be tolerant to ridicule and others do not.   Could you imagine Christians going to war every time some said, "God dang it."   Or every time someone depicts Jesus in a bad way....kind of like that short-lived sitcom that portrayed Jesus as a pot-smoking hippie.    How about the Buddists?   In the 80's having a little fat Buddha looking idol was common with old ladies in bingo halls for luck.   \n\nIt's all about "Sticks and stones...."   The whacko muslims just can't find enough reasons to lock and load and go kill unarmed civilians.   They don't have the balls to take the fight to the soldiers and really stand up and die for Allah.
5356
Religion always played a role in the wars between men. The last prime example of this was the WWII belt buckle of the Germans that meant "God is with us".
666170
I'm pretty sure the capacity for starting fights is equally shared among all belief systems.  Certainly Yahoo Answers creates a forum for moronic, facile attacks on the belief systems of others, whether one is atheist, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Wiccan, Baha'i, Yezidi, Hindu, Jain, you name it.  Maybe what you mean is that your attention is drawn to atheist expressions of hostility to the beliefs of others.  Your own question does smach of anti-Catholic prejudice, for example, so perhaps anti-Catholic statements made by others don't offend you.  In all fairness, it is hard to explain the contemporary situation in the world of mutual hostility between, say, Jews, Christians, and Muslims by blaming the atheists, right?  I mean, the atheists didn't start the Iraq war and aren't playing a major role in perpetuating the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.  I think you are right to advocate for a more civil dialogue (you can begin by examining your anti-Catholic and anti-Atheist prejudices, perhaps)--considered starting with the man or woman in the mirror?
652597
I think you've opened a *huge* can of worms here! But never being one to avoid discussion, I'll dive in......\n\nI agree.\nI think that religion was a device created by early mankind to explain the unexplainable, to create some social order and it was exploited by some people who had various socio-political agendas. \nI'm not denying that many, many people find their religion a source of comfort and I would not deny them their faith. I feel that religion has evolved with time, although some of the dogma has remained in the past.\nI'm sure lots will disagree, but that's just my own tuppenth worth.
619239
What you've written is what organized "theocracies" have perpetrated since the dawn of recorded history. While the Catholic Pontiffs of yesteryear have acted particularly egregiously, they are not the only examples of how "Cows, Pigs, Wars, & Witches" (- the title of an anti-religious anthology of anthropolgical, cross-cultural studies, written in the 1970's) have come to be enlisted to create fear in the masses and exact control over protracted periods of time. Look at what the "Religious Right" want to do in this country. I suggest you read a book by Kevin Phillips entitled "American Theocracy." In there you can derive the sense that even a country such as ours is vulnerable to these age-old tactics... for example, think on just how effective the "culture of fear" trumped up by the present administration has been in creating an effecient "smokescreen" or deversionary force to escape the public's otherwise probing eyes.
44742
Too bad people don't read their history books, Christianity spred practically only because it was violently forced upon the pagans. \n\nI agree with you, it's silly to think you can relate a 'terrorist' to a model Christian.
23467
I think religion is one of those "necessary evils".  I think many many wars could have been avoided without religion, but then the vast majority of people would not have any source of power to turn to in times of need.
245681
Simply: No.\n\nOnly stupid people like Pat Robertson will magnify this sentence and stupidly generalize it for the stupids... it was to kill the nonbelievers who were at a war back then  with muslims... so it's same like "kill the enemy" which is natural at war.\nAnd the Bible is also full of such things like "with you i will slay nations, bla bla bla"
104900
I dont think its religious at all. Most hate and fighting amonst the world, religions and races all boil down to lack of undrstanding ones neighbors. This makes people scared, starts rumours and fears, and then all hell breaks loose. If you are on one side you are a terrorist (which is good propoganda and a VERY GOOD REASON to explain to the rest of the WORLD why they can kill innocent people) if you are on another side you are a hero. At the end of the day its all boiling down to Money and Control though. Africa is the forgotten continent by the west at the moment, why? because it doesnt have oil... oil makes the wheels of Industry move. And thus even with wars and genocide taking place.. not many actually gives a shit... Maybe thats why we dont get involved in other peoples wars. We have our own wars like hunger, famine, drought and racialism to sort out. Which we are doing our best at. The Rich get Richer and the Poor get nothing, exept maybe a bullet in the head, inexchange for oil ofcourse.
112739
Do you imagine that religion is the source of all conflict?  Hitler invaded the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia and Poland (and started WWII) in a quest for more territory.  Japan invaded China and attacked the US out of a need for more natural resources for their already crowded island nation.  North (Communist) Korea invaded South Korea to unify the country under communist rule.  North (Communist) Vietnam invaded South Vietnam for the same reason.  The Spanish-American War resulted from Spain's efforts to maintain its empire and the US's desire to continue expanding its economic influence.  The Civil War was fought over slavery and states rights.  I could go on.\n\nIn short, what is called the "War on Terror" is the only war in this nation's history (and one of the few in the history of the world, the Crusades and England's struggles during its transition from Catholicism to Prostestantism being notable exceptions) in which religion is a significant motivating component for one of the combatants.\n\nAs for controlling the masses, today the three countries with the most rigid control over their people's lives are China, North Korea and Cuba, all viciously anti-religious.\n\nIf you allow your views on history to be colored by your antipathy toward religion, you are more akin to a caged bird or a bird on a wire than one in flight.
571706
Not all religions are, just a lot of them. And yes, it's a great way to control people, I'm sure that's partly why they were created.
273374
No. Because then there would be sects within that religion. One group wouldn't like how another worships...then one group will think another isn't devout enough. Then, bammo! War. Again. Still. sigh.\nReligion only leads to war because of human beings.\nPeople are the root of war. Not any one religion.