Religion means belief and faith in unique concepts.
Religion teaches us morals, laws, sympathy, and many other good things related to success and humanity. Every religion provides the basic fundamentals of living. But what about the statements that religion causes violence and terror? Religion shows backwardness, and religion gives birth to different conflicts. Is there any scientifically or historically proven data that balances the statements?
1: Richard Dawkins said that religion is about having faith in things that are not visible, so it promotes violence.
2: Daniel Johnson said that Islam does not deserve to be considered a religion as it promotes terrorism.
3: Bill Mahar said that religion converts a person into a destructive human, so because of religion, the world could come to an end.
These are some statements that show how vital discussion is. But how many of these loud voices are really true? Let's analyze these claims based on factual data.
Today, we are going to discuss this topic specifically. I will first share the data I have collected through different sources that are accepted on international levels.
Religion has long been a source of controversy, with debates raging over its role in inciting violence. While some argue that religion is inherently peaceful, the historical record tells a different story. Countless wars and conflicts have been waged in the name of religious beliefs, from the Crusades to modern-day extremism.
According to the encyclopedia of war (the library of world history), an analysis of 1763 known recorded historical conflicts over a period of 10,000 years. The total number of wars with religion as their prime cause only accounts for 6.98% of the total wars in history. 6.98% only. Whereas 93% of the conflicts accounted for secular (non-religious) reasons, Furthermore, according to Wiki Encyclopedia, on the list of ''Wars by the Death Toll" and the list of "Battles by Casualties," religious wars and battles are listed significantly below wars and casualties caused by secular and non-religious motivations. And all of this is not only from historical records. In fact, several historical scientists also state the same. Such as Richard Ned Lebow, a political scientist and professor of international political theory at the department of war studies at Kings College, London. States states in his study entitled "Why Nations Fight" the reasons why nations go to war. And his top reasons include:
1: Social Standing
2- Security
3: Material interests
His study did not even consider religion as a significant enough factor compared to the rest. We see from these figures that it is not religion that is the primary cause of suffering. Rather, it's secular and non-religious reasons that have caused the most suffering throughout history. Let's take another look at the other part of the data I've collected.
World War I was not about religion but about nationalism, and about 15 million people were killed. World War II was about fascism, and up to 80 million people were killed. In European colonialism, about 50 million people were killed. Any ideology becomes a cause of violence when it is imposed by force. But on the other hand, we see people spreading terrorism and killing in the name of Islam. That is why, when the word Islam is used in international media, it sounds like a world of extremism. Islam is the name of a spiritual journey toward God by following the rules of humanity. Then it's our duty to eradicate this concept of terrorism linked to Islam. It's not only about Islam; the atheist community states that religions represent extremism and backwardness. So we all have to work on this special mission.
On the other side, defenders of religion assert that it is not the religion itself, but the misinterpretation and misuse of its teachings that leads to violence. They contend that the core principles of most major faiths – compassion, forgiveness, and peaceful coexistence – are fundamentally opposed to violence. The problem, they argue, lies in the hands of those who twist religious doctrine to serve their own agendas.
Ultimately, the relationship between religion and violence is a complex and multifaceted issue. While it is undeniable that religion has been used to justify countless acts of cruelty, it is also true that it has inspired countless acts of charity and goodwill. The challenge, then, is to find a way to harness the positive power of religion while mitigating its potential for harm.
We have to practice our religion in such a way that the world will see it as the glow of humanity. Everyone should respect the minorities living on the specific land. In return, we will receive respect from others. Never say my religion is better than yours. Try them to understand your religion. If you think you are doing better, religion stabilizes and provides the fundamentals of life.
Thus, we should understand the depths of our religion, which describes how to change the wrong concept about religions. Religion provides values for our daily relationships. It teaches us about unity, discipline, and tolerance. It provides us with different humanitarian acts like helping others, giving respect to everyone, and lessons of equality and justice. Thus, religion helps to build the character of a person. Emotions are given high values that result in a happy nation.
In conclusion, we can say and prove that religion doesn't cause violence and gaps in society. In fact, it spread harmony, love, and sympathy.
