Within the last thousand years, what three religions do you believe have been most violent? Give examples.?

Question

Heeeeyy! GOOD MORNING! (EST, good morning, anyway) Let's use our brains this early, shall we?

Here's a list of some religions to consider:

Christianity (Catholicism, Protestantism, etc.)
Judaism
Islam
Atheism
Buddhism
Paganism
Satanism

I see some people have already gotten the point to this question, but let's try to humor those that believe it is religions who do the wrongs.

Or better yet, violence has been done in the name of religion, or people doing violence have been of certain religions. What three, then?

Answer 1

within the last thousand years or ever, no religion has taught or lived violence... it is the religious (people professing various religious faiths) who have been fanatics!

Answer 2

This is somewhat a good question though some may disagree with you. I can understand where you are coming from by such question and I must point out (as with the rest) that it is people/followers of certain religion that are violent. As for the religion itself... I leave it for you to personally decide.

Some religions are against violence. Some religions justify them as a 'holy' act and matyrs are rewarded in paradise, thus are being encouraged further by deviated teachings.

If I were to give a list, even Buddhism (which dishonours killing and violence) is included in the list where the ancient Japanese and Sri Lankan/Thai/Burmese/Cambodian kingdoms had fought in many wars, calling themselves Buddhists (though it was NEVER made in the name of Buddhism or to spread Buddhism as a purpose --- the ones mentioned were personal ideas and based on defending local monks/monasteries from colonial raids and jesuits).

Christians and Muslims are the greatest contributors to violence in the world for the last 1,000 years thanks to their holy wars/crusades and deviated teachings. This had resulted into sectarian violence and indirectly indoctrined the terrorism ideology (whether you agree with this as a fact or not, the actions speak louder than words itself). This form of violence had spilled into the 21st century today and will still continue for time to come.

The Israelis had been involved in violence through wars with Palestine and some call it a 'holy war' too. Can we justify this as an act of the Jews? Or is it between Islam and Judaism? Of course, it is an act of man, but in what sense do they act for?

So to answer your question, the most 'violent religion' for the last 1,000 years would be those of the Abrahmic roots, the Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Answer 3

Christianity, Islam and ..........

It's hard to pick a third.

Satanism only exists in the minds of deluded Christians. Those who reject Buddhism don't attempt to embrace Satanism, only a few messed up former Christians.

Atheism is the absence of religion, and if you are referring to Communism, it is a political system which practiced the same government style as Christian and Islamic Theocracies: Total control.

Judaism....not within the last thousand years. Too few of them and without a country or a military until recently.

Buddhism..... can't really say.

Paganism......not within the last thousand years.

Christianity and Islam win, with OTHER or VARIOUS in a distant third place.

Note: You can't excuse religions that have historically controlled governments by saying "It's some followers who caused the trouble". Christianity and Islam have both historically controlled the government and military in the regions they are practiced, until a few hundred years ago in the case of Christianity.

Answer 4

I don't care if it is people who do the actual violence, the point is horrible things have happened in the name of religion, so it obviously attracts the unstable types. And filling their heads with fairy tales isn't helping. I am not saying the end of religion will be the end of violence, us hairless monkeys will find something to fight over I'm sure, but it would mean one LESS thing to fight over.

Christianity and Islam both have a blood-stained history, see conquistadors, crusades, jihads, Ireland, the list is long. I can think of no third that compares on that scale.

Answer 5

Islam, Christianity and since you included it, probably Satanism. It's small, but if you count violence per member, it will probably qualify. Or since you include atheism as if it were a religion, perhaps the excesses of the Soviet Union should be laid at its door, and that would make atheism the third on the list. Certainly Islam and Christianity take the lead in any case.

Many people would say Judaism has been violent because Israel has been involved in so many wars and skirmishes. But I believe there is enough difference between aggression and defense that we should apply the term "violent" only to aggression. Defending yourself is not being violent.

Answer 6

BUT compare the list you get from this question to a list of the largest religions in the world - is it a coincidence that Christianity and Islam have by far greater numbers?

Answer 7

Christianity, by far, has a more violent history in the name of religion than any other. Islam and then Hinduism, namely in the Sihks.

Answer 8

I would say, sadly enough, Christianity (or governments/reigns that used it as a shield) Judaism (sionists) and Islam (jihadists).

BTW, I am a Buddhist and, proudly enough, I can say that never ever in the entire history a single person has been killed in the name of Buddhism, neither has a war been started in its name.

Answer 9

the most violent religion is probably christianism. in the name of the so said god-christ thousands of crimes, murders and wars have been commited. all in the name of god but more so for political reasons.
(witch hunts against woman-power, inquisition to get money and/or power off the victims, cruisades to invade other countries etc)
so god really serves the evil?
s

Answer 10

Any religion which is intolerant towards other religious believes the most violent.