Why do some people "pervert" their religion promoting violence?

Question

(a) Religion teaches tolerance and to live in harmony with others and the enviroment.
(b) It instills in us rules ( for those who believe) that killing another human is wrong and without any possible justification or defence
(c) That by breaching the almighty's injunctions ,unless forgiven you are destined with pain and suffering.
Having said that, and assuming that people who practise religion I am somewaht perplexed that the can carry on these atrocities like 9/11, murders all over the world-Iraq,Lebanon,elsewhere and genocide in the balkans, sudan, rawanda etc.

Answer 1

Religion seems to me to be a brainwashing tool in the wrong hands and that applies to all religions. That's why I don't trust any church. Period.

Answer 2

They don't necassarily have to pervert their religion. The "God" they worship is vengeful and violent. Consider the story of Moses and the ten commandments. Within days of handing down the edict regarding killing and/or murder he commands Moses to murder a couple of thousand of his own tribe for fashioning a golden calf while Moses was off on a trip to the mountains. And in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah the Hebrew god seems to be drooling over the prospect of destroying both cities and all the men, women and children therein by raining down fire and brimstone on them. He is however held at bay by the compassion of one of his own, a mere mortal, whose squeezes a temporary reprieve for the “evil” cities by promising his god that he will find a few good men. To understand the evil which is inherent in such beliefs one has but to look at the history of
mankind and the cruel destructive behavior which it manifests.

If I were to try to envision the most destructive line of thinking to foist on any race of beings, one that would insure their eventual extinction, it would be to propose to them that they were evil by their very nature and that their means of propagation was sinful, shameful and ugly. Then I would set the mating pairs at odds by promoting one member over the other, the old “divide and conquer” gimmick, by telling one that it was created in the image of its creator and the other I would relegate to being an underling, an inferior, fit only to follow, but never to lead. And I think I would put a curse on the “inferior” one. If that wouldn’t do them in I don’t know what would. Then I would make sure that the thing that they thought about and enjoyed the most was considered sinful, shameful and ugly so that even if a moment of joy crept into their miserable lives it would be tainted. Oh, and I almost forget. I’d make the most aggressive one the leader. This should make the destruction complete, except for one thing. I would somehow have to introduce murder onto the scene. Maybe a little inspired jealousy would do the trick. What do you think?

Answer 3

Oh, both the Koran and the Bible preach violence, but not as much as they prech goodwill.

In answer to your question, I would say it was to justify their urges, desires and ultimately, their actions.

Answer 4

Because they are radical extremists and Republicans.