Religion and civil strife
um... said:
Religion doesn't often cause wars, but it also doesn't seem to do much to stop them. Religion is far from being a necessary and sufficient condition for morality, and I'd be so much happier if people would do the logical thing and stop trying to equate them.
This statement has been bothering me, as I kept remembering my reading of history as well as current events. While it's true that there have probably been very few wars where religion was the only causative factor, it is frequently the deciding factor. So, I made a short list:
The Crusades (a pretty obvious one)
continuing wars of religion between Catholics and Protestants from 1562-1598
The Thirty Years War (There were, of course, other issues of land and power, but the nations involved were divided along religious lines.)
The "Troubles" in Northern Ireland.
THe Balkan conflicts involving Serbia (Serbian Orthodox), Croatia, and Slovenia, (Roman Catholic) Bosnia-Herzogovina and Kosovo (Muslim)
India (Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, animists) on-going, usually low level assaults that occasionally escalate, by one group against another.
Kashmir (HIndu vs. Muslim)
Sri Lanka (Hindu vs. Buddhist)
Cyprus (Greek Orthodox vs. Turkish Muslim)
Sudan (north, largely Arab/Muslim, South largely Black African and divided between Christian and animist)
Indonesia-not exactly war, but on-going religious strife between Muslims and Christians in the provinces of Ambon and Halmahera)
East Timor (Muslim vs. Roman Catholic)
Kurdistan (Muslim vs.Protestant, Chaldean Catholic, and Assyrian Orthodox Christians)
Iran and Pakistan (continuous low level strive between Shi'a and Sunni Muslims)
Uganda, Nigeria Cote d'Ivoire (various degress of violence between Muslims, Christians and animists)
In the history of the Americas, Christian aggression against the native people, to the point that some tribes were eradicated. As recently as 30-40 years ago children from some of the tribes were being forcibly removed from their families and put in Christian boarding schools where they were forbidden to speak their native languages or practice their traditional religions.
New Zealand In the 1800s strife between Maori and white New Zealanders, not originally religious in nature, but toward the end of the conflict a stong religious component entered the picture. Originally based on a desire from the ethnic Europeans to acquire Maori land. Some really complicated issues there.
Nazi Germany.....all about power, really, but scapegoating one religious group and the glorification of a Germanic/Nordic mythos to help mobilize and inspire the people.....
I could go on, but why bother? Some things never change.