Why do Sunni and Shiite Muslims hate each other enough to torture and kill?

Question

Is it for the same reasons that Catholics and Protestants hated each other in the past? Just the religious difference? Or some political reason?

Answer 1

The violence between Iraqis is engineered by the American invaders to distract us while they steal our oil.

Answer 2

Sunni's are the more, how should I say this, okay, moderate. They're usually not the religious nutcases, that would be the shiites. Any country under shiite law is harsh, like a raped woman having to have 4 witnesses to the rape to keep from being stoned to death for having sex. I think the Taliban was shiite, so you get my drift. As far as I'm concerned, sunni's are a big improvement over shiite's. The sunni's might actually go with the "Islam is a religion of peace" thing, but I guarantee you shiite's don't. I think its more political than religious, but to be honest, the shiite's seem to have no comprehension of the words tolerance or mercy.

Answer 3

the sitation in Iraq is understandable and it has nothing to do with "religion"

regardless of the (minor) religious difference Sunnis and Shiites lived together in peace for centuries.
it wasn't until the invasion of Iraq when hell broke loose. at first, the Iraqis rejoiced when the US military over thrown the Ba'th regime of Saddam Hussein.

now we have the Iraqi people (Sunnis and Shiites) and Al Qaida (foreign fighters from all over the Mideast and mostly Sunnis) in Iraq right.
Al Qaida in Iraq are committed to fight the Americans in Iraq to the bitter end until we either get out or get killed. that's how they think.

after the first few months the majority of the Iraqis who "rejoiced" when Saddam was caught, started to get tired of the US occupation and the militias started to grow.
in the beginning there was no fighting between Shiites and Sunnis at all. all the fighting was basically against the US and UK. Sunni Iraqis who wanted to get involved in this joined Al Qaida (foreign Arabs) and Shiites Iraqis joined Al Mahdi Army in Baghdad's Sadr city.
now this Mahdi militia was showing our troops hell until the US Army had to make a truce with their leader Muqtada Al Sadr and promised him that the new regime will be controlled by Shiites instead Sunnis who ruled Iraq for many many years under Saddam's regime.

Sunnis see this as treason and therefore justify killing the "traitors". they started bombing Shiite neighborhoods, mosques, and markets.
bottom line is our military is some what responsible for all the sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shiites.

in my opinion both Shiites and Sunnis who do kill innocent people for no reason other than being Sunni or Shiites (civilians) are vicious animals and don't deserve to breath.
unfortunately the civil war has erupted and there's nothing we can do to stop it.
mark my words. this current regime will not last for too long.

Answer 4

its politics each group wants control of the oil wealth. The sunnis still think they deserve to rule the world the way saddam did

Answer 5

I dont mind Shiahs. I think this "animosity" is childish and embarrassing. It's not as bad in America but there is some tension I admit.
Peace.

Answer 6

Its all a fight for power. If you ask me, power belongs only to God and for his children to fight over his power and authority is pointless. The more they fight, the less likely He will bless us. Its like fighting with your sister because she gets the first slice of pie after dinner. Now daddy is less likely to give you a slice at all!!!

Answer 7

why is their religion so like the bad word for Jobie

Answer 8

does it matter, I'm mean really?