[ndigila]

Is religion the main cause of wars, or is it religious differences?
Would eliminating religions eliminate wars or just reduce them?
Wouldn't humans simply find another difference that would cause wars, considering that the 20th century was the bloodiest century in history?

[reggie_woic]

holy war comes to mind here...does it really have anything to do with differences with another religion?
like Jihad was against infidels. infidels are unbelievers or people with no beliefs...hardly people of other religions.

i say its both religion and religious difference.
might as well add 'the religious'

[Muhammad_4]

Do you know that Jesus too taught Jihad?

[al-zalzalah]

Originally Posted by ndigila

Is religion the main cause of wars, or is it religious differences?
Would eliminating religions eliminate wars or just reduce them?
Wouldn't humans simply find another difference that would cause wars, considering that the 20th century was the bloodiest century in history?

ndigila, the kenyans who were hacking each other a few months ago were not motivated by religious differences.

[ATLian]

Is religion the main cause of wars, or is it religious differences?

What's the difference with the statements "They are fighting because of religion" or "They are fighting because of religious differences"? I'd think they both mean the same thing, ama?

That said, I can't answer that authoritatively. I know there have been very many wars fought because of religion. Every war in the Bible is basically to do with religion, with people who believe in Jehovah fighting against those who don't, only because of the religion factor. The crusades were terrible wars to do with religion. The scramble for Africa was driven by religon. World War 2 had a strong religious element with Hitler and his anti-semitism. etc.

But there have been thao wars that have had to do with land, politics, honor, oil, independence, freedom, slavery, etc. So I don't know what the numbers are for each reason for going to war.



Would eliminating religions eliminate wars or just reduce them?

It would seriously reduce them, since not all wars are religious based. Right now 90% of the wars currently happening in the world are fueled by some Islamic motivation. If there was no religion at play, 90% of the current wars wouldn't be happening.



Wouldn't humans simply find another difference that would cause wars, considering that the 20th century was the bloodiest century in history?

Definitely. Look at us in Kenya, killing each other only coz we circumcise and you guys don't, ama coz we say "Hello" is a different way from you guys. Most killings in Kenya were between Christians, they just happened to be Christians who say "god" using different words!

[ndigila]

Originally Posted by ATLian

What's the difference with the statements "They are fighting because of religion" or "They are fighting because of religious differences"? I'd think they both mean the same thing, ama?

Hmmmm. Now that I read it again it may not be so obvious.

When Protestants and Catholics engaged in war, do you blame Protestanism, (or Catholicism), or is the war caused by the difference that exists between the ideology? Is someone fighting because he's a Protestant (or Catholic) or is he fighting because his ideology disagrees with his opponent, despite the fact that his ideology condemns war?

Originally Posted by ATLian

The scramble for Africa was driven by religon.

How so?

[al-zalzalah]

Originally Posted by ndigila

Is religion the main cause of wars, or is it religious differences?
Would eliminating religions eliminate wars or just reduce them?
Wouldn't humans simply find another difference that would cause wars, considering that the 20th century was the bloodiest century in history?

me i'm convinced hakuna kitu kama war fought solely for religious purposes.
even those genocides in the old testament were about gaining land.

[YB*]

Originally Posted by al-zalzalah

me i'm convinced hakuna kitu kama war fought solely for religious purposes.
even those genocides in the old testament were about gaining land.

I will agree with you here, I actually read a good poem here on mashada about differences, something to do with me, us, them.

Many a sociologist knows that to unite a people, a single outside source of threat must be in existence, failure to which, those within confines of a union will find something to bicker about and probably kill each other.

And that has been how the 'Bush' america has managed to keep america united while stealing from them by having americans united fighting terrorism, all rationale flies out the window.

Being a history buff, you quickly note the trend of humans in conflict over the years

If you have watched 300 when the greek came together and a small force of Spartans met and almost routed xerxes, after everything, the greeks turned on each other, with the Athenians being suppressed for some time by the Spartans

When Alexander died, without an outward looking commander, the empire imploded

Irish, protestant and catholic wars etc, man will always be at conflict

[grip_daddy]

If good and evil can be limited to religious terminologies, then all wars are religious.

[Ester]

Originally Posted by al-zalzalah

even those genocides in the old testament were about gaining land.

Were they? What was the main motivation for the children of Israel; why did they fight so many battles for Canaan? After all, I believe there was lots of other fertile ground where they could have settled. Were the Israelites on basic survival mode or were they driven to fulfill a promise made to them by God? See how religion is still implicated?