Does religion spark wars? Should we all convert to atheism?

Answer 1

No, man does.

Answer 2

I guarantee you, and the 20th century proved this, that if you take away religion from society, people will simply find other reasons to fight. Take the World Wars, for example. Religion played no major role in those conflicts, the deadliest in world history. Doesn't mean they were atheistic in any way, either, but the truth of the matter is that mankind has a tendency toward violence. Even in cases where religion has played a role in violence, historians, sociologists, psychologists, and anthropologists will generally all tell you that religion is only the face of these wars. The real issue is always power and control. Men in power are often greedy and selfish. If they don't use religion as their excuse, they will simply use cultural differences, race, or political ideology as their excuse. The end result is this: religion does not spark wars. People do.

Answer 3

Religion often takes an aggressive lead in mobilizing countries for war. “Even in our churches we have put the battle flags,” admitted the late Harry Emerson Fosdick, a Protestant clergyman. And regarding the first world war, British brigadier general Frank P. Crozier said: “The Christian Churches are the finest blood-lust creators which we have, and of them we made free use.”
A headline in Asiaweek of October 20, 1993, declared: “Bosnia Is an Epicenter of Religious Conflict.” A headline for a commentary in the San Antonio Express-News of June 13, 1993, proclaimed: “Religious Chiefs Should End Bosnian Woes.” The article said: “The Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Muslim faiths . . . can’t slough off responsibility for what is happening. Not this time, not with the whole world nightly watching. It’s their war. . . . The principle that religious leaders bear responsibility for warfare is clear. Their very sanctimoniousness provokes it. By blessing one side over the other they do so.”
Are we therefore to conclude that all religions take sides in war? Is there any religion that is a true force for peace?

There exists one religion that has already succeeded in reconciling former members of different religions and helping them become true Christians. Today, moved by their love for God and their desire to “pursue peace with all people,” in 233 lands the more than 5.8 million Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to share in the wars of the nations—whether fought in such places as Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, or the former Yugoslavia. (Hebrews 12:14; Matthew 22:36-38) Instead, they are fulfilling Bible prophecy by ‘beating their swords into plowshares’ and ‘learning war no more.’—Micah 4:3.

Answer 4

To the guy above who said this:

"Religion is merely the guise that governments use to perpetuate their wars at the expense of the people. It's necessary to get everyone on board in order to increase the wealth of a handful of profiteers. Always has been, always will be."

Yes, so if we removed religion there would be one less guise for governements to use.

The fact remains that it is used negatively and a great many followers of religion all too willingly go along with it. Why allow rulers more opportunities?

Religion is redundant at best and seriously problematic at worst.

If no one believed in Thor,
then Thor would definitely be
one less reason for war.

Dig?

Answer 5

Religion is merely the guise that governments use to perpetuate their wars at the expense of the people. It's necessary to get everyone on board in order to increase the wealth of a handful of profiteers. Always has been, always will be. Governments employ persons specifically to spin the truth. Leaving religion, would only be a temporary solution, before they devise another method to divide us. We should all convert to Humanism.

Answer 6

Yes, religion basically creates war, doesn't it. Mass Aheism would only solve part of the problem though. Also, there is no way that everyone would convert, too many nutso-diehard religious folk out there. We would still fight over things like money, which is the number conflict causer in most cases....Anyways, there is no way to supress man's war-like nature, it's in our blood. In Conclusion, PEOPLE start wars OVER Religion, Money, etc.

Answer 7

Religion is man made...men start wars.
Communism was oppression...It wasn't exactly a war but it was destuctive....there was absolutely no God in communism....God was thrown out of the picture.
I wonder what the world would be like without beleif in God.
We just like to blame everything on God because we're pitiful. Poor us.

Answer 8

well communism has killed over 100 million people in 90 years . so would rethink your conclusion. also the last War based on Christianity was over 400 years ago. and of all the wars happening now only 2 are religious based.

Answer 9

yes, religions do spark wars, but simply because of extremist. The crusades and jihads are all causes by extremism. If we all learned to be more accepting, there would be less wars.

Answer 10

Religion doesn't spark war, it's simply a tool of war. What better way to convince the uneducated masses to fight for you than to tell them that theres magic in the sky and if they fight they'll reach it?

Answer 11

Religion has been the root of some of the worst things imaginable that have happened. Not saying that religion is a bad thing, but it's very influential.