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Religious Conflicts

Religious Conflicts. Religion can be a powerful force in warfare by reinforcing ethnicity in making a conflict more intractable and cruel Not usually the only reason for conflict, but frequently plays a pivotal role (i.e., Shia-Sunni conflict) Share fundamental beliefs/practices

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Religious Conflicts

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  1. Religious Conflicts • Religion can be a powerful force in warfare by reinforcing ethnicity in making a conflict more intractable and cruel • Not usually the only reason for conflict, but frequently plays a pivotal role (i.e., Shia-Sunni conflict) • Share fundamental beliefs/practices • Difference originally political, involving who should lead after Muhammad’s death

  2. Religious Conflicts • Despite religious conflicts, many similarities exist between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam… • Are monotheistic (believe in one god) • Descendents of Abraham • Accept concept of sin, the value of prayer, and necessity of repentance • Find meaning in life through deep, personal relationship with God “The problem to be faced is how to combine loyalty to one’s own tradition with reverence for different traditions.” – Abraham Joshua Heschel

  3. Religious Conflicts • How has religion become the crucible for violence? • Belief of belonging to a chosen people • Belief in aggressive missionarism • Religion as symbolic structure of conflict • Religion can become the invoked ideology or “social cleavage along which other struggles become mapped” • Example: Sunni-Shia conflict in Iraq—Political struggle or spiritual?? Religion may be the vehicle for the expression of deeply and widely held social aspirations.

  4. Religion and war • 1745 wars have taken place in human history (The Encyclopedia of Wars) • Over 420 - religious in nature • Christianity and Islam have been involved in over 85% of the religious wars.

  5. Ares, God of War (ancient Greece)

  6. Mars (ancient Rome)

  7. Year 312 CE: Roman Emperor Constantine converts to Christianity

  8. Year 988: Russia is converted to Christianity: destruction of pagan gods

  9. 8th century: the Arab conquest

  10. 11th century: the First Crusade

  11. Muslims vs. Crusaders, 12th century

  12. 1099: Capture of Jerusalem in the First Crusade

  13. 1204: Crusaders take Constantinople

  14. 1572: On St. Bartholomew’s Day, French Protestants kill Catholics

  15. Taliban Versus West • Taliban in Afghanistan-1996- welcomed by citizens and Western MDCs. • Religious fundamentalists • Shave beard?- beating • Adultery?- Stoning • Homosexual?-buried alive • Prostitute?- public lynching • Thief- Hands cut off • Painted nails? Fingers cut off

  16. Taliban… • No music playing, kites, TV, Internet-soccer stadiums became public torture arenas • Blew up Buddha statues dated 2nd century A.D. • Supported by CIA right up to 9/11 • Female suicides up under Taliban regime

  17. 2014: ISIS executing Iraqi tribesmen

  18. Wall • US consulting Israel about barrier to be used along US-Mexican border

  19. Palestine

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