Religious Warfare: War For A Religious Purpose

Decent Essays
Religious warfare, war fought for a religious purpose, is highly illogical. Religions teach peace and harmony, but wars are the opposite of that. Many wars have started because of a religion, like The Crusades, the French Wars of Religion, and The Thirty Years’ War. Even wars that aren’t religious have soldiers that believe that they are fighting for their God. There’s no such thing as a good war, all wars are filled with death, while some might believe progress can’t come without sacrifice, murder is something religious people wouldn’t consider holy.

Some of the most well-known religious wars are The Crusades. During The Crusades 2,000,000 to 6,000,000 Christians died and an incalculable amount of suffering was spent. Although the wars

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    History has always prevailed itself by showing people fighting over territorial sanctions, ideas revolving around politics as well as the simplicity of faith itself. It’s these motions ad violence that affect us as humans. It greatly impacts the ideology of political and economical interest to society today, a pursuit that radicalizes a forth coming of how wars will leave a rationalized foot print in history to come. Through wars one is able to assert their dominance and through that one is able to force ideas and beliefs. To some, war represents a rational pursuit to gain economic interests, while for others it remains an irrational destruction of property and futures to others.…

    • 1253 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    The Product of Fear War is one of the inevitable consequences of the fall of man. Fear is a major factor in beginning this mass conflict, called war. Elie Wiesel the author of the autobiography, Night includes a statement in his book of the fear he experienced when he was surviving the Holocaust, “I was the accuser, God the accused. My eyes had opened and I was alone, terribly alone in a world without God, without man” (68). This quote or statement from his book discusses fear as controlling his belief in God and doubting his survival.…

    • 1683 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Religion In Alan's War

    • 866 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In Alan’s War by Emmanuel Guibert, Alan’s time in the war seems to be greatly influenced by his Christianity. Although it is not addressed until later in the novel that he is in fact religious, when we look back at the instances and circumstances Alan had been in things begin to fall in place. His Christianity had a bigger impact on his decision making than it should have had on a soldier in the war. Alan Cope seemed to follow his moral compass because of his spirituality instead of following his other unit members in their actions. Causing harm to others would affect ones’ moral being.…

    • 866 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the Bible, when Cain killed Abel, it was a start to a sinister act: ending the life of a fellow human being. The Fifth Commandment states, “Thou shall not kill.” It means we cannot end or harm the life of a human being. Not only does killing oppose this Commandment, but is also opposes the Catholic Church. That is because you cannot believe in God’s teachings and also kill.…

    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    One of the most well-known military conquests during this time, the Crusades, is an example of this. The Crusades are different from many other wars throughout history due to the fact of the Catholic Church calling them on religious grounds, and for religious reasons, but they are also similar because of the way the Crusaders conducted themselves while on the Crusades. While many historians argue whether the Crusades were called for religious reasons or for the Church to increase its power and wealth, both of these aspects seem to support both…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The devastation caused by war does not just affect the country's economical and political status but people within it especially those fighting. Soldiers usually get perceived as emotionless beings who will follow any command that are given to them without question. They do this in order to protect their country. In many cases this is true but they do have emotions and judgements, which they choose to ignore in order to survive. During and after the war is finished, many soldiers are affected by what they saw and went through during the war.…

    • 1331 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    The longer Saul stared at the armies the hotter the flames burned because he was looking for something that was not going too happened. The Philistine armies surrounding him and the flames burning inside him this is a recipe for disaster. When we look around us in a time for turmoil and then we let our minds run wild as emotions kick in we are scarred. We do stupid things that have dire and lasting consciences that may not be fixed able.…

    • 265 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Over the course of time, numerous empires tried to imperialize/ colonize others regions because of the desire for money, resources, and more power. Religion is a set of beliefs that concern the cause, nature, and purpose of the world, it highly involves supernatural powers, especially involving sacred, devotional and ritual ceremonies; religion usually contains a moral code that governs human affairs (BBC.co.uk). Economics is the wealth of a country based on the making and use of goods (Merriam -Webster). The idea of “social darwinism” originated in the class hierarchy of England, it is the application of Charles Darwin’s scientific theory of evolution and natural selection (PBS.org). Over time, Europe grew to be one of the most powerful empire…

    • 1232 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Holy War Vs Jihad

    • 1326 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The difference between Holy war and Jihad is little known to the common community. The truth is revealed when you really try to compare the two. With a little open mindedness, you will be able to see that there 's a lot more difference then you would have originally assumed. To the unaware, Jihad may mean “holy war” but this is far from the truth.…

    • 1326 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Our world today and yesterday experiences various forms of religious violence in one way or the other. Religion is an important phenomenal in which identity of individuals and groups are based on (Juergensmeyer 2003, 5). Threat to this identity is one of the causes of religious violence and terrorism (Juergensmeyer 2003, 7). The conventional belief around religion is that it should be a safe abode where we can hide ourselves when we pass through challenges of life (Juergensmeyer 2003, 5).…

    • 877 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    War Over Religion Analysis

    • 1414 Words
    • 6 Pages

    A war over beliefs requires a similar approach to that of a war over religion. Looking at the world through a different perspective, as well as comparing and contrasting is required to prevent a war like this from happening. An example of a war over a different set of beliefs is the American-Soviet Union cold war. The Soviets believed that communism was the ideal government, “where there would be no class systems” ensuring that no people are above others, and making sure that “everyone no matter how poor gets an education” (Chief Editor). While Americans believed that their capitalist government was superior.…

    • 1414 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Different religions have different beliefs. We respect the position a person takes and the religion they choose to follow. However, in some instances, people’s different beliefs tend to stir up emotion and quarrel. Our different religious perspectives could lead to war simply because people do not understand different things the same…

    • 1475 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    It is rare to have wars based solely on religion, although they make up about 40% of all other wars fought. Religious wars are motivated by a higher power or idol that is said to have commanded radical groups to kill in an unjust manner. Ethnic cleansing, for instance, is one aspect of war against religion. The Holocaust, for example, was a war against millions of Jewish men, women, and children were killed because of their ethnic background. Hitler’s affirmation of dominance of his race was his primary objective.…

    • 1294 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Heroism In The Iliad

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Iliad is a Greek story of courage and heroism in the most certain dangers of war. Men on both sides fight for honor for their countries and their families. However, even the greatest heroes are still human, and still have flaws that make them human. What makes us human isn’t necessary the physical strength that we may or may not possess, but rather the strength that lies within us. Emotions are both seen as good, or may also seen as detriment to our successes.…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Christianity In War

    • 133 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Christianity and military involvement have a lot of opinions. In the Ten Commandments it says "Thou shall not kill." Christians being in war doesn't have a morally right answer. There is always another solution to a problem. This day in time, and in the past, fighting each other seems like the quickest thing to do.…

    • 133 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays