Why does religion cause so many wars?

Answer 1

PEOPLE cause the wars.

Religion is merely an excuse.

Answer 2

Only the Abrahamic faiths have been known to cause wars, and boy, do they ever!

Starting with Judaism, the bible chronicles the then-new tradition of killing people for not believing in a specific god. Up till then, since multiple gods were a given, people were comfortable with the idea that others didn't worship the same ones they did.

But with monotheism came exclusionary behavior, then jealousy--no other gods allowed, you see-- the concept that the world would end and only the faithful would prevail. Also the belief that the world must be conquered by the faithful. All these concepts mean lots and lots of unending war.

Christianity and Islam inherited these cruel and useless tenets, and the world has been reeling with conflict between these groups ever since.

Religions in other cultures coexist peacefully. They may go to war over resources, politics, ethnic divisions, etc., but only the Abrahamic faiths have got it boiled down to a my god/your god excuse.

Answer 3

Religion does not cause wars. Religions have never caused war.

War is caused by politicians. Sometimes these politicians masquerade as religious leaders, but their goal is power. They wage war IN THE NAME OF RELIGION. It is not the religion that causes the war.

For proof of this statement, just look at the countries that have Catholics and Protestants living together amicably. Or Christians and Jews, or Christians and Muslims. The people of these different faiths can be friendly to each other. There is no friction until the politician rears his ugly head. The politician, or "religious leader" demonizes the other religion, or sometimes, the other country. He promotes hatred so that he can control the people. That is what causes wars.

Answer 4

I have my own philosphy about this: Religion is not necessarily faith, faith is not necessarily religion. Religion is more of a politically structured phenomenon, faith is what is inside you.
There are several types of believers:
1) Those who use religion as a tool for their games (some of them interpret Koran, Bible and other holly books the way they want it, because the way these great books are written - in many ways metaphorically - allows to interpret them in many different ways); They play with the faith and belief of millions of people of different religions for just one reason - POWER! power for themselves. These are people who turn religion into politics, and eligious politics have never made any good for anyone.
2) I call these "blind believers" - it is those who truly believe that you should never have a doubt in what your religion tells you, if you do, then you are not faithful to your religion. These are the people that get used by the first group. Among the "blind believers" are those who protested the cartoons in Dutch newspapers by violanece to Europeans in the islamic states.
This group will never come to think that your religion and way of thinking is not the only right way.
3) Those who have faith, but they think wider than their own religion; Those, who respect and understand people with different faiths and beliefs. Unfortunately, there much more people, belonging to the second group and those from the first group make use of it.

Currently Islam has become a religion that poweful people are playing with, which definetly creates a very bad reputation for Islam. However, in truth, it is not the religion that is bad, it is the politics around it. And not only terrorist are playing with it today, so are many western politicians. Just using different target groups.

Answer 5

Religion doesn't cause war, men cause war.

Wars have been fought before there ever was religion and wars would be fought if somewhere along in the future religion disappeared.

Answer 6

Religion doesn't cause war and never has. The main problem area of religion is one thing: people. Its what people do with and about religion that causes trouble.
People cling to the interpretation of the clergy and by virtue of that are sheep to the slaugher when it comes to war. The religious and the poor are the best cannon fodder there is.

Religion itself is all about helping people evolve spiritually toward The love of God, love of fellow humans, justice, peace, harmony, charity, observance of the Golden Rule and more.

Want to stop war? Its too late. But if you could you would start with education. Make it so people cannot be manipulated so freely by the wise asses in this world. Its the brilliant morons who believe they are above the law that are causing all the trouble. They deprive us all of an education that will enable us to freely examine our existence for our selves.

Answer 7

HI Isabella,

Welcome to Yahoo answers. This question gets asked about every third day in one form or another. As you type a question look watch the screen for other similar questions that have been asked as they pop up. You can review all the answers that have been given in the past. If you still don't think they are adequate then by all means ask again but the repetitiveness does get tiresome to those of us who spend too much time here.

I am aware of very few wars that were created by religion. Actually the root of almost all faiths is based in peace and love.

Man in his failed attempt to prove his superiority or rightness has used his faulty application of religion to justify his acts in war over and over and over. Kinda like this question being asked here over and over and over. It is because man by nature of the state he is in is imperfect. Man is the cause of war, sometimes in the name of religion but he is just fooling himself, as usual.

Love ya.

Answer 8

Religion is an issue important to almos everyone. People deem that their religion is the correct one and that everyone else is wrong. As a result, they are bad, evil, and must be killed. Take the Crusades during the Dark Ages, for example. The Roman Catholics at the time thought that it was their duty to convert the Muslims. Apparently, converting people to middle age roman catholicism includes invading their country and having wars.

But to answer your question, there is something about religion that has always struck a chord with people... Eternal security is something that is even more important than life itself... Perhaps the ONLY thing more important than life. Thus, some deem this a reason to kill others.

Answer 9

Religion doesn't cause wars. It's just a convenient way to sell the idea to the public.

Answer 10

Because for man it is easy to use the name of God in waging war. Have you not notice that even Muslims (Sunnis and Shiites) who call on the same name of God "Allah" are killing each other for their ulterior motives. I do not think that Allah will tell each one to kill each other.
Catholics in Ireland and Protestants in England have long been at war with each other calling on the same name of Jesus; then throw grenade against each other.
Unless the same God these religions are calling is unto being amused by watching His children destroying each other for the kind of peace that is distinct from one another. Then I will agree with you that it is the religions that cause war.

Answer 11

Do guns kill people? Or do people kill people with guns?
Men go to war because they want to.
Religion gets involved for the fool hearty because they think that God will be back their political agenda.
So for those who mix politics and religion together, the wars get bloodier by the second.