The influence of religion on humankind can be traced back to the first records of history. Religion has served as a pillar of strength to some and binding chains to others. There are vast amounts of information and anthropological studies revealing the interaction of religion and humankind. Identifying the true causes of unrest and violence, either domestic or international, which results to war, is really difficult to determine. However, it is very important to recognize the precise causes of some of the conflicts around the world, where some might be due to ethnicity and religious ideologies but not all.
So, is religion the cause of conflicts and crimes? When political alliances, economic difference, ethnicity and religious differences occur in any society unrest and chaos takes place. Similarly it causes violence internationally which ultimately results in war. (Humans and Humanity)
It is commonly heard, since the beginning of the international political system, that religion is the root cause of violence in any society, which ultimately leads to war either the motive is self defense or achieving dominance of ones religion.
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Lithograph of the Assassination of Abraham Lincoln...Where it could be accepted that religion has proved to be a cause of violence in a society, it is not always the only cause of war.
The basis for war is the struggle for power; either it is achieved via politics, ideology or religion. For instance, take the case of USSR and USA during the cold war era. The world was divided into two blocks where both these super powers were struggling to win their ideological dominance in the world. The former USSR was promoting communism, while the USA was spreading capitalism and a free-market economy, though both states agree to secularism, which means religion is not a part of politics. (Yergin D 1988) Ask the communist regimes...God certainly...