Does religion have anything to do with wars?

Question

In th last century, nearly 800,000 people died in wars lead by athiest regimes, Wars are fought over resources, it has nothing to do with religion although it may seem that way to win the approval of the simple minded masses it's all about the economy.

Athiests, your thoughts?

Answer 1

One person answered: "it has everything to do with the wars. i would love anybody to name one war that didn't start because of religion and beliefs."

The US Revolutionary War
The War of 1812
Spanish-American War
US War with Mexico
War for Texas Independence
The Civil War
World War I
World War II
Korean War
Vietnam War
First Gulf War

Okay, I'll let you say that the Second Gulf War started over religion, because of the religious zealots that decided to fly airplanes into buildings... That makes your statement 1-11.

I suppose you could say that every war started on "beliefs" because the people who started it "believed they could win" or "believed in conquering for expansion" but that's not really the "religious" theme that we're seeking here.

Answer 2

Good point. History doesn't support the assertion that "religion is the cause of all wars" as many people here love to claim. Just look at the wars the US has fought since its founding. Not too many religious wars there...

Answer 3

Religion IS politics.

It's the worst kind of politics. And it is the leading cause of war.

There have been a few wars that were fought that religion was not an issue in. Very few.

This is a fact. It is undeniable. And that's all I'm going to say about that. If you want to deny it, then you may. But I'm continually amazed at how easily people of "faith" will flatly refuse to acknowledge any fact that goes against their beliefs.

Sometimes I really do feel like I'm talking to 3 year olds here.

Answer 4

I am not an atheist, but will put my thoughts here.
Even the crusades was more political than religious. Pope Urban used religion to unite Europe against an invading force. Unless a religion actually sanctions war, the wars will be fought for political and economic reasons. Just because someone with an agenda claims it is for religious purposes, doesn't make it so. It has become a popular thing to do, blaming religion for violence and hatred, but if most religions were followed properly, violence and hatred would be gone from the earth.

Answer 5

Exactly, religion wins over the simple minded masses. It isn't the leaders fighting each other, is it? It isn't like Bush and Saddam fought it out one on one. Greed and power start wars, but religion fights them.
And I understand that often soldiers are motivated by a warped, misunderstood version of a religion. But since most religions are written extremely vaguely, they easily lend themselves to misinterpretation, deliberate or otherwise.
Anyway the point is that although religion may have nothing to do with the reasons political leaders have to start wars, the wars couldn't happen without a great number of people willing to die. And people don't line up to risk their lives just for their leaders' greed.

Answer 6

Wars are fought for a number of reasons, one of those reasons is religion. no wars that I am aware of have actually been fought IN THE NAME of atheism, in contrast perhaps you have heard of the Crusades? In fact a momentary thought should be enough to convince you that the vast majority of those who do the fighting are in fact religious.

Answer 7

You appear to be of the mindset that
occupies Pres. Bush. He insists that
the mayhem going on between Sunni
& Shiite Muslems is not Civil War.

Answer 8

Crusades?

Also people kill over religion - you wouldnt kill over a lack of religion would you?

Wars which arent motivated purely by religion aren't atheistic - why are theological minds so damn weak? The fact that theory A does not hold does not imply theory B - there could be theories C, D & E - do you understand?

Answer 9

Religion is meant to bring us together as brothers ans sisters. Due to greed and ignorance many humans use religion as an excuse to transgress and kill others.

Answer 10

Most religions do include bits about how believing in another God is blasphemy, so I suppose people focus on those parts of their holy scriptures sometimes more than they should be.