Are religious wars truely about religion, or politics?

Answer 1

Wars are for lots of reason - we want your land, your resources, your sea access, your strategic position in the area, your money, your food, etc. I think these days very few are about purely religion or ideology, but I think throwing religion into the mix is a great way to whip your troops into a frenzy, don't you? I mean, the foot soldiers are the common people - they need a reason to fight, and the Leader's reason may not be good enough. If the enemy is "reported" as attacking for religious reasons, it is a lot easier to get the uniforms filled, it seems to me.

Peace!

Answer 2

Usually, it's about both.

Most 'Religious Wars' are carrid by those who first of all have something to gain by conquering the opposing country, and secondly, feel threatend by the adversary.

These days though, it is more to the political end- Religion doesn't rule the world in quite the same way it once did.

Answer 3

Frightfully important question, but impossible to answer.
a) It is not an A or B answer because one is often used to mask the other.
b) You could also add economics. A good number of the Crusades had more to do with merchant trade routes than the Holy Land.
c) I suppose you could also add power and ignorance as reasons.
Maybe we should ask about what really creates peace?

Answer 4

politics and the politics of religion

The only ones truly fought about religion, were the ones recorded in the Old Testament, between the Jews and God's enemies.

Answer 5

Religious wars are only about power.

Power brings wealth and social standing, not humility and therefore religious wars are all about power.

My god is better than yours because I am christian or muslim or budhhist or whatever religion you might be practicing.

The more devotees or followers you have, the more powerful you are as a society.

Its only about power.

Answer 6

I would think religion, and even politics are just used to stir
people up to fight. Wars are usually fought because somebody
has something somebody else wants.

Answer 7

It's hard to seperate politics from religion. Both are opinions on a way of life, and a system of life.

Religious wars, finding its in origin with Cain & Abel, are about how we choose to live our lives and how we choose to worship God and show our respect. When how I live differs from how you live, I can choose to feel threatened because you don't believe the way I believe, or I can choose to let you live your life. Wars come when ppl feel threatened by the differences of others. In order to make ppl feel less threatened and more "right", they try to destroy those who are different. (This happened with the crusades, this happened with the nazis, this happens in Sudan right now.) It's human nature, it even happened with Cain and Abel. Cain felt inferior to Abel because they worshipped in different ways, and ultimately Cain killed his brother due to "religion".

Politics are just an advanced form of religion, but it's all based on systems of thought.

Answer 8

Politics, money (economics/investment gains/business), but not for religious reasons. This is just a front.

Answer 9

Religion mostly. But smart politicians can use the religious fervor to their advantage.

Answer 10

Both. They're about memes (ideas) that have become pathological and dangerous to their hosts. Memes just want to survive. They'll use us to do so, even if it means killing others for [Insert your favorite religious or political meme here].