Why are wars started and fought over in the name of religion?

Everything from the muder and enslavement of hebrews in ancient times to the Christian's being torchered and killed to the Crusades and the murder of countless people in the name of a specific religious denomination of a faith(Protestant versus Catholic) to the murder of and destruction of entire native peoples of North and South America (Aztec,Incan,Cherokee to name a few) to the Salem witch trials to the justification of slavery to the rise of the KKK to the rise of the Nazi party and it's murder of Jews,disabled,homosexuals,gypsies,and countless others to the Irish conflict between Protestant and Catholic(once again) to the Muslim Holy wars, of all these things wars have been fought and even started in the name of a religion.Why???

Sources:

http://daphne.palomar.edu/marguello_stud...



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crusades



http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USA...

Why are wars started and fought over in the name of religion?
It is easier to send a man into battle if he feels God is on his side and will resurrect him. The terriorists believe 70 virgins awaited them in heaven.

Tell, a man this life is all there is! Would he be willing to sacrifice his moment in the sun for something you told him you felt strongly about. Tell him god will reward him and off he goes. So yes, Governments use religion to get people to fight in wars. Always has, always will. Why because it works.
Reply:Religion is a form of control. If I tell you that you are going to spend forever burning in a volcano when you're 5 or 6 years old, you are going to not only believe it, but you are going to embrace it as well, right?
Reply:Religion is the best source of misleading the people.
Reply:FACED with the fact that the involvement of religions in war is an undeniable reality, the inevitable question is: Why?

Over the centuries the notion of “holy,” or “just,” war has had an immense influence on the followers of many religions. For example the crusades, as noted by your expression/question)

Promoters of the "Crusades" have customarily referred to the Bible to support their arguments. But it is acknowledged by historians that “the view was widely prevalent in the early Church that war is an organized iniquity with which the Church and the followers of Christ can have nothing to do.”—Hastings’ Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics.



But were these in fact True-Christians engaging in these wars Or were they not "christendom"?

As to serving in the armed forces, what does secular history disclose about the attitude of early Christians?

“A careful review of all the information available goes to show that, until the time of Marcus Aurelius [Roman emperor from 161 to 180?C.E.], no Christian became a soldier; and no soldier, after becoming a Christian, remained in military service.”—The Rise of Christianity (London, 1947), E. W. Barnes, p. 333.



“We who were filled with war, and mutual slaughter, and every wickedness, have each through the whole earth changed our warlike weapons,—our swords into ploughshares, and our spears into implements of tillage,—and we cultivate piety, righteousness, philanthropy, faith, and hope, which we have from the Father Himself through Him who was crucified.”—Justin Martyr in “Dialogue With Trypho, a Jew” (2nd century?C.E.), The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, Mich.; reprint of 1885 Edinburgh edition), edited by A. Roberts and J. Donaldson, Vol. I, p. 254.



“They refused to take any active part in the civil administration or the military defence of the empire. .?.?. it was impossible that the Christians, without renouncing a more sacred duty, could assume the character of soldiers, of magistrates, or of princes.”—History of Christianity (New York, 1891), Edward Gibbon, pp. 162,?163.



What scriptures have always had a bearing on the attitude of true Christians toward involvement in political issues and activities?



John 17:16: “They are no part of the world, just as I [Jesus] am no part of the world.”



John 6:15: “Jesus, knowing they [the Jews] were about to come and seize him to make him king, withdrew again into the mountain all alone.” Later, he told the Roman governor: “My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source.”—John 18:36.



Jas. 4:4: “Adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” (Why is the matter so serious? Because, as 1?John 5:19 says, “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” At John 14:30, Jesus referred to Satan as being “the ruler of the world.” So, no matter what worldly faction a person might support, under whose control would he really come?)



Regarding political involvement, what do secular historians report as being the attitude of those known as early Christians?

“Early Christianity was little understood and was regarded with little favor by those who ruled the pagan world. .?.?. Christians refused to share certain duties of Roman citizens. .?.?. They would not hold political office.”—On the Road to Civilization, A World History (Philadelphia, 1937), A. Heckel and J. Sigman, pp. 237,?238.



“The Christians stood aloof and distinct from the state, as a priestly and spiritual race, and Christianity seemed able to influence civil life only in that manner which, it must be confessed, is the purest, by practically endeavouring to instil more and more of holy feeling into the citizens of the state.”—The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries (New York, 1848), Augustus Neander, translated from German by H. J. Rose, p. 168.



With reference to patriotic ceremonies, what does secular history say about the attitude of those known as early Christians?

“Christians refused to .?.?. sacrifice to the emperor’s genius—roughly equivalent today to refusing to salute the flag or repeat the oath of allegiance. .?.?. Very few of the Christians recanted, although an altar with a fire burning on it was generally kept in the arena for their convenience. All a prisoner had to do was scatter a pinch of incense on the flame and he was given a Certificate of Sacrifice and turned free. It was also carefully explained to him that he was not worshiping the emperor; merely acknowledging the divine character of the emperor as head of the Roman state. Still, almost no Christians availed themselves of the chance to escape.”—Those About to Die (New York, 1958), D. P. Mannix, pp. 135,?137.



In conclusion, Has the neutrality of Christians meant that they are not interested in the welfare of their neighbors?

Certainly not. They know well and conscientiously endeavor to apply the command repeated by Jesus: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matt. 22:39) Also the counsel recorded by the apostle Paul: “Let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.” (Gal. 6:10)

They have been convinced that the greatest good that they can do for their neighbors is to share with them the good news of God’s Kingdom, which will lastingly solve the problems facing mankind and which opens up to those who embrace it the marvelous prospect of eternal life.



Who today can rightfully say that their beliefs and practices are a restoration of first-century Christianity?



According to the Journal of Church and State, Spring 1999-by Yohan, Gabriele:Spiritual Resistance of Christian in Nazi Germany:-'The Case of The Jehovah's Witnesses', States: "We Christians of today are put to shame by the so-called sect like the Bible Students (Jehovah's Witneses), who by the hundreds and thousands have goone into concentration camps and died because they refused to serve in war and decline to fire on humans beings...it should now be clear that exactly we, the Chruch and Christians, today are called to penance and repentance if we would continue to preach God's word and represent his cause!"- (quotes: Martin Niemoller, Munche:Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1946), 27-28



A recent book on Christianity made this observation: “The withdrawal of Jehovah’s Witnesses from political, military and social involvement has been interpreted by their enemies as misanthropy, and has been the chief cause of the outrageous persecution which has often been inflicted upon them.”—American Christianity, An Historical Interpretation.



The Italian newspaper Il Corriere di Trieste observed: “Jehovah’s Witnesses should be admired for their firmness and coherence. Contrary to other religions, their oneness as a people prevents them from praying to the same God, in the name of the same Christ, to bless two opposing sides of a conflict, or from mixing politics with religion to serve the interests of Heads of State or political parties.” (Note how this harmonizes with 1 John chapter 3, verses 10 to 12; see also John 13:35)



A political scientist similarly remarked about the Witnesses: "They behave toward other people with profound kindness, love and gentleness."



According to Dr. Azikiwe, the governor-general of Nigeria in 1960, said: “(Jehovah Witnesses), they have added greatly to the spiritual upbuilding of our people in Nigeria . . . If all the religious denominations were like Jehovah’s Witnesses, we would have no murders, burglaries, delinquencies, prisoners and atomic bombs. Doors would not be locked day in and day out.”
Reply:Do you think religion is the reason or the excuse? It is within human nature to destroy ourselves.
Reply:Religion. There are several religions in the world, many with more precepts from Man than God. If you study most religions you'll find that a lot of what is done is from man, for man, including titles, Bishop, Pastor, etc. The Bible is the inspired word of God. Following the Word and not the man you will be led by Love, love for one another, putting love and forgiveness into every facet of your life. There is no mention to warring or starting a war in God's name. The bible has wars that took place, God took a side in most of them and on the side he took, miraculously that party won. There is no mention that God told people to fight. He directed people to go a certain way, but man brought war into religion.



Christ is the Messiah and Christianity is supposedly the service of the Messiah, but man has all types of symbolic rites they add to religion. Follow the bible and God's word, not man.
Reply:I don't think any war has a single cause but religion is usually used as an excuse even if it isn't the reason, for the simple fact that some people believe that if God is telling you to do something it can't be bad. A nice trick for the rulers.

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