Mark Twain's "The War Prayer" How is religion used as a justification for and incitement to war?

Question

How does religion often serve as the impetus for war?

Answer 1

THERE ARE WARS THAT ARE JIHADS=HOLY WARS. MUSLIM FAITH CALLS FOR THESE WHEN THE INFIDALS AS WE ARE CALLED ARE BREATHING.

AS A CHRISTIAN I SEE THINGS AS SPIRITUAL WARFARE, OUR WEAPONS ARE THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER.

Answer 2

Twain The War Prayer

Answer 3

Perhaps you've misinterpreted? Are you speaking of Twain's views or the views of the characters? Because Twain is mocking those who believe that religion justifies war, or that God takes sides...In general, religion serves as an impetus to war in that it aggrandizes peoples differences and turns them against each other like wolves for a holy cause...

Answer 4

If someone claims divine right and says, "God told me that I must do this; or God told me I must punish this" etc then people use the concept of God as a tool to push their own agenda. This is not, in a sense, religion being warlike, but instead people USING religion to serve as a tool for some greedy purpose.

Answer 5

I think you did not understand the book "The War Prayer".

In the book, a church full of people are praying for victory in war. A lone figure shows them that while they are praying for victory, they are also praying for the destruction and slaughter of others.

The book was not about religion being used to justify war. It was about being aware of what you are praying for. Instead of praying for victory for our troops in time of war, we should be praying for peace and an end to the war.

Written by Mark Twain during the Philippine-American War in the first decade of the twentieth century, The War Prayer tells of a patriotic church service held to send the town's young men off to war. During the service, a stranger enters and addresses the gathering. He tells the patriotic crowd that their prayers for victory are double-edged-by praying for victory they are also praying for the destruction of the enemy... for the destruction of human life.

Answer 6

It happens when evil people use Religion as a means of exciting armies (or countries) to attack another nation or group.

It is not the fault of Religion, but the fault of the evil people using it for their own purposes.

We are getting closer to a time when people will start to realize that and come back to God.

Peace and God Bless you!

Answer 7

Nearly every war in history is the fault of religion. Either they claimed they were doing what God told them, or they claimed God was on their side, and the religion supported the war.

The hypocrisy of Christendom in particular is brought out in WWI and WWII. There were Catholics, Protestants and other religions on both sides of the conflict, claiming that 'God is on our side', and encouraging their adherents to go kill people of the same religion, simply because they were on the 'other side'.

This goes completely against what Jesus said would be the hallmark of true Christianity. Jesus taught us to "Love your neighbour as yourself." (Matthew 22:37-39) Through the parable of the "Good Samaritan", he showed that our neighbour could be anyone, even those with whom we wouldn't normally associate.

Jesus also said: "By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves." (John 13:35) So this love would particularly apply to those of the same faith.

The complete disregard for these teachings shows those churches who participate in wars to be part of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. The Bible shows that God has judged these religions adversely and will soon manouver world governments to destroy them.

Answer 8

"Men never commit evil so fully and joyfuly as when they do it for religious convictions"
-- Blaise Pascal