Does religion bring irrational violence?

Question

" My holy book is right. He is wrong. "

This kind of notion brings people to murder one another, as was the case with Israeli Sharon's case when he visited a Mosque in a disputed Judeo-Islamic holy site and open gun fire from an angry mob ignited. These people are human, just like us, they believe in their Quarans like Christian fundamentalists do and most believe in waging a holy war. Would "God" approve of this?

Answer 1

Ignorance is responsible.

Yes, every religious text usually contains some cultural history of violence and calls to action, it is when such words are taken as the only word to follow- that evil takes hold.

Answer 2

I'll start with the fact that I don't believe in god and go from there. Ok, does religion ring violence. Without a doubt. I will also state that I am Jewish and being Jewish it is without a doubt one of the religions that you can belong to and not believe in a god and not go to temple and still belong to the religion. I will also state that I do not agree with a lot of things that are being done in Israel,I believe that there is a lot wrong with the way the country is governed. So, do not take this as I am writing as a Jew who is one sided and bigoted. I do believe that if we did not have religion we would have so much less to fight about. There would be less war and less fighting. Life would be so much easier. I see the fighting between jews and muslims and it disgusts me. All I can think of is "nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition". Sorry about that. But wars go back so far and they are all related to religion. So, how can I not agree that religion brings on violence, I'm a rational person.

Answer 3

I think religion is more abused as an excuse for violence than the root cause itself. You cite the Palestinian crisis of course, but if Israel had never been created, there may have been Sunni/Shia violence going on as bad as in other parts of the Arab world. BTW don't forget about 1/3 of Palestinians are Christian, maybe they would now be the persecuted minority if they didn't have the greater cause to unite them.

I think a lot of the world is still stuck in a tribal mentality, and the different groups would find some excuse to hate and kill each other regardless. Religion is just handy, and of course very inflammatory, excuse.

Answer 4

Does religion bring irrational violence?
Yes, it does. Look at how much blood has been spilled in the name of a deity by way of one forcing and the other refusing. It is a sick and disgusting thing that those of today will not even listen to, let alone admit to, though the proof is written in history.

Answer 5

Frootbat31 has a valid point. I'm presently "fighting" with my next-door-neighbour over the erection of a new boundary fence...the old one is over 30 years old and falling down...I have three boundary neighbours, two of whom agreed instantaneously to help me put up a new colourbond steel fence. But one neighbour decided he wouldn't or couldn't or whatever. It had absolutely nothing to do with religion, and I want to kill him for the sake of a $400 contribution to a new fence.......then I discovered he was ALSO a Muslim.

That would explain it, wouldn't it?

Answer 6

Well we know religion doesn't bring peace. If you believe the bible, even Jesus says he didn't come to bring peace to the world, but a sword to impale the innocent with.

Answer 7

History has proven that religion dose create violent atrocities against mankind, and still dose to this vary day.

Answer 8

Religion is an excuse for murder, not the cause of it. Take away religion, and we'd still have war.

Answer 9

These guys are not fighting over religion. They are fighting over territory. The whole world is fighting over territory.

Answer 10

In many ways yes, from certain groups of people.