So what is religion? According to Robison religion is "A set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs” (Robison). Religion can cause individuals to do things that are ethically wrong or right and also prevent them from doing certain things. Many people may say that they do certain things because they …show more content…
One primary example of religion causing hurt to others can be seen in wars that have taken place over the years. For example, the Thirty Years’ War is a series of religious wars that were fought in between 1618 to 1648 in Europe. These wars were fought because of religious conflicts between the Holy Roman Empire, France, Sweden and Spain. The war began when Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand II, decided that Protestants should become Roman Catholics and the Protestants refused. Most of the European countries participated in these wars. It was wrong for the Emperor to impose his religious practices on the Protestants. The Protestants only wanted religious freedom from the ruling Catholics who were ruling them. The Thirty Years’ War devastated areas with food shortages and disease. It is the longest and most demolishing period of fighting in the history of the world. It left more than 800,000 dead including soldiers and