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Where the wars so often cited by militants (the Crusades, etc.) primarily religious in nature, or did their root causes stem from other factors such as economics, nationalism, and territorial expansion - as many experts in the field suggest? Or is the truth somewhere in between?

2007-06-13 08:41:56 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture Religion & Spirituality

17 answers

They are not caused by religion, atheist smart asses, they are caused by differences. The fact that people didn't have blond hair and blue eyes, or Caucasian blood got a litany of people killed. Catholics and Protestants have fought many times. They believe in the same god, it was just that there were different sects how Catholics had Popes and Protestants refused to acknowledge them.. Sunnis and Shias believe in the same Mohammed and Allah, it is just the fact that there are different requirements for their Caliphs that sparked war between them. The Crusades were sparked when Muslims took up the sword against those of DIFFERENT religions, and had slain alot of people before Pope Urban the Second raised an army to fight them off. WARS ARE NOT CAUSED BY RELIGIONS BUT RATHER A DIFFERENCE IN IDEOLOGIES. If they were caused by religion, then a fight might go,"Hey my friends and I believe in God more than you and your friends! Let's fight over it!"

2007-06-13 08:56:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1 1

The truth is that there are other factors involved, usually political power struggles. But the common men who were required to pick up pitch forks an swords and do the actual dirty work of killing one another, required more than just a political spat to risk their lives.

The leaders of the time had to convince them that they were doing the work and will of God by killing and invading others. The common folk believed it, because if you read or hear most of the passages in the OT, it is clear that God not only condones violence, but encourages it.

Without religion, there still would have been battles and wars, but my guess is that many of the atrocities would not have happened.

If men were told that they were going to the holy land to collect relics for the king, or to increase the wealth of the papacy, the recruitment drive for Knights wouldn't have been nearly as successful, and the crusades may have been far less damaging. The Spanish inquisition, may have just been a questioning and Bosnian Serbs may not have committed Genocide on Bosnian Muslims.

Other factors are ALWAYS involved in war, but religion is the fuel used to build passion, and justify horrific acts of violence.

Without religion, we may not feel justified to do these things as readily. They will still take place, but perhaps without as much glee.

2007-06-13 08:52:31 · answer #2 · answered by ɹɐǝɟsuɐs Blessed Cheese Maker 7 · 1 0

Not directly, at least not nowadays. Religion causes divisions and tribalism, as well as antagonism. So do other things, such as ethnicity and factionalism. So it's one of the factors that is a major contributor to wars, but not the only one. Mostly it's a combination of factors. Wars are usually about a competition for resources, but the fact there are separate antagonistic parties (instead of sharing) is often because of religion and these other divisive factors.

2016-05-19 03:15:58 · answer #3 · answered by tasha 3 · 0 0

The Crusades were attacks based on religion. Just like today with Iraq, but the rest of it goes along with it. The truth is somewhere in between.

2007-06-13 08:44:51 · answer #4 · answered by Justsyd 7 · 2 1

Actually they aren't caused by religion...

Like the first answerer said, religion is only a recruiting tool.

Considering the fact that most common soldiers couldn't actually READ the bible during the crusades, the Bishops could just say something like:

Bishop: "Uhhh.... God says.... To go... And Punish the Muslims! *Yeah, that oughta do it!* Go forth in the name of god!"

Peasants: "We're off to kill those heathens because the Bishop said the bible tells us to, bye!"

And then came the Protestant reformation:

Peasants: "What the hell, it never said to kill Muslims in here!"

Bishop: "Umm... yyeeeaaaahhh, about that..."

2007-06-13 09:03:27 · answer #5 · answered by CanadianFundamentalist 6 · 0 0

It's in between. The Crusades were a war of power and control. At that point in history, faith puppeted particularly potent control over power.

2007-06-13 08:49:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

I do not believe all wars are caused by religion. That will be all too simple to explain all the possible reasons for wars.

2007-06-13 08:46:16 · answer #7 · answered by ShanShui 4 · 2 0

Is there any such thing as an Atheist that believes that “ALL” wars are caused by religion? I doubt it. I guess they could exist.

I’ll say this much, religion certainly isn’t helping, is it?

2007-06-13 08:45:44 · answer #8 · answered by A 6 · 5 0

Straw man, No atheist I know thinks all wars are started by religion.

2007-06-13 08:45:21 · answer #9 · answered by fourmorebeers 6 · 1 0

No not caused by religion

But I believe from answers on yahoo from/by atheists, they have no Morals or Ethics and this is the cause of hatred/illwill towards others in the world. This alone would cause a war.

2007-06-13 08:52:15 · answer #10 · answered by kiki 1 · 0 2

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