Question of the Day

[ayoub]

Is religion an acceptable reason for conflict?

Comments

[mizalaina.livejournal.com]

I don't know about acceptable or unacceptable, but my opinion is that it's a foolish reason for conflict.

[voldelange.livejournal.com]

No; we are free to believe whatever we want,since that doesn't hurts or does bad to anyone...so there shouldn't be conflicts over this;it's not the business of anyone what someone believes except his own.

[mighty-rontor.livejournal.com]

Appearantly only if your way of worship pleases your deity enough that he allows you to win. Ironically, religion is supposed to be about peace.

I shall always maintain that there is nothing holy about the Holy Land.

[inmyocean.livejournal.com]

Religion (differences thereof) can be an easy reason for conflict ...

it should never be an acceptable one.

So my answer is, No.

[fire-fox01.livejournal.com]

No!! I guess I just dont understand why people cant accept that someone else believes differently than them. As long as it's not harming someone else I dont see why people care so much. I guess I'm more of a "live and let live" type of person who always tries to respect other people's point of view and I like to learn things from other people who I may not always agree with. There is truth in every religion, in my opinion and what works for me might not work for someone else. If it brings them happiness then I respect that.

[holyoffice.livejournal.com]

I suppose it depends on how you define "conflict." A conflict is not always violent, and sometimes conflicts are necessary. The American civil rights movement involved a conflict between citizens and corrupt laws, and many of the people who protested segregation did so because of their religious beliefs. Another good example would be World War I, during which, in the United States, people of the Amish, Mennonite, and Hutterite faiths refused to allow themselves to be drafted. This put them in conflict with the government, which jailed hundreds of them.

Not all conflicts are violent, and not all conflicts are unnecessary.

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

It's a fallacious reason for a conflict.

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Well put...

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

LOL!

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

My answer is the same...

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Well said!

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Let's assume we're talking about a violent conflict...

[rowanchey.livejournal.com]

I say "No" to all those intolerant bastards.

[holyoffice.livejournal.com]

Well, then I suppose it depends on the conflict, and on the religion in question. In my own tradition, religious belief is not an acceptable reason to wage a war of aggression, but other traditions might differ. I would, of course, like to see all religious believers eschew violence, but I understand they aren't necessarily going to accept arguments that come from members of a different faith.

[wait.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[evergladesqueen.livejournal.com]

no. and this is where i have issues w/religion. so much faith/belief/etc and yet so much pain/suffering/death always comes out of it. makes no sense to me.
*hugs*

[cmerun12.livejournal.com]

Considering it's one of the most POPULAR reasons... I would have to say it's been readily accepted a long, long time ago.

The only other reason I can think of, at present time, that comes close to 'religion' as a reason for conflict is greed.

*pauses to consider*
Oh hell. What am I saying?!? They're the same thing.

[mighty-rontor.livejournal.com]

On a more serious note, the biggest reason that I'm agnostic is because none of the widely practiced religions of this world are free of hypocrisy that insults those it would convert, nor are they free of hypocritical atrocities. Mind you, I'm not criticizing those who practice those religions - individually they tend to be good people in my experience. I am, however, suspicious of those who are exalted enough to continuously further penning how practitioners practice. No deity has ever picked up a pen. Men and women, fallible as anyone else in the world, write scriptures. Priests are only politicians that wield the promise of a heaven like a gun towards people's heads. I'll not trust any school of thought that is too rigid to adapt to changing circumstances to guide me with half-baked absolutes in the caring of mine own soul. Fuck that.

[mighty-rontor.livejournal.com]

Ack! I ranted in a snooty way! Sorry, mate!

Got dead-common in the end though, didn't I? =)

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Well answered :)

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Word...

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Agreed!

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Why?

[donnickcottage.livejournal.com]

No. And it's never the real reason, but only the false justification. Religion doesn't cause war. Assholes who can't take responsibility for their own hateful actions do.

[ayoub.livejournal.com]

Agreed...