Does Religion Really Cause Violence?

[Chris]

A literature review cautions against jumping to conclusions.

Does Religion Really Cause Violence?

To many, the statement “Religion causes violence” seems intuitively true. After all, one can easily summon to mind a huge number of examples, from the Crusades to warfare connected with early Islam, to the September 11th attacks and sectarian warfare in the Middle East, and on and on and on. Some liberal-minded people, particularly those of an atheist bent, will rattle off these examples as clear proof that religion is a force for evil in the world.

But what if it’s more complicated than that? What if there’s less evidence than one might think that religion causes violence? That’s the provocative thesis of an upcoming new article in Contemporary Voices: St Andrews Journal of International Relations, a journal launched in April of 2018 (available as a preprint), authored by Joshua Wright and Yuelee Khoo at Simon Fraser University.

The paper is mostly dedicated to a literature review which summarises a wide array of findings about the supposed link between religion and violence. Overall, Wright and Khoo argue that the literature points in both directions, and that there’s little reason, at this relatively early juncture in understanding the connection between religion and behaviour, to believe that there’s something unique to religious ideologies that cause them to foster violence.

...In their conclusion, Wright and Khoo make a final point that should give pause to anyone who thinks the research literature, at present, offers a comprehensive look at the link between religion and violence. As they explain, “What makes religion unique … is a belief in the supernatural, the meaning of this belief to the individual and the group, and the internalization and integration of religious identity to the individual.” And yet “Direct study of supernaturalism is noticeably absent in the literature.” If the authors are correct, this means researchers have so far left out the single most important aspect of religious identity – leaving an incomplete picture as to whether it really does have a unique effect on the likelihood of violence or not.

[Cletus]

I think it is often a convenient excuse for violence.

[jigglepete]

[Chris]

I think it is often a convenient excuse for violence.

I think some people use it for evil purposes.

[Mister D]

I'm not sure what the question is. Is there something inherent in religious belief or "supernaturalism" that causes violence? Obviously, that's nonsense. Have religion or religious difference been a cause for conflict? Of course but aside from the fact that this is actually rare from a historical perspective the observation is inane. The same can be said for virtually any human identity, ideology or belief system. Consider the following assertion: politics causes violence. How would you respond to that? Is politics a bad thing? Should we get rid of it? Is it a force for evil in the world? At this point you could fall back on defining religion as a belief in the supernatural. Unlike politics, it's not part and parcel of our social existence. I would dispute this of course because spirituality is also characteristic of man but it's not necessary. I was born in what was arguably the most barbaric and violent century in human history. It was also a century steeped in scientific materialism which formed the cornerstone of two now infamous ideologies. Would it not be fair to conclude (using the exact same logic) that a lack of belief in the supernatural causes not just violence but violence without any bounds?

[Chris]

I'm not sure what the question is. Is there something inherent in religious belief or "supernaturalism" that causes violence? Obviously, that's nonsense. Have religion or religious difference been a cause for conflict? Of course but aside from the fact that this is actually rare from a historical perspective the observation is inane. The same can be said for virtually any human identity, ideology or belief system. Consider the following assertion: politics causes violence. How would you respond to that? Is politics a bad thing? Should we get rid of it? Is it a force for evil in the world? At this point you could fall back on defining religion as a belief in the supernatural. Unlike politics, it's not part and parcel of our social existence. I would dispute this of course because spirituality is also characteristic of man but it's not necessary. I was born in what was arguably the most barbaric and violent century in human history. It was also a century steeped in scientific materialism which formed the cornerstone of two now infamous ideologies. Would it not be fair to conclude (using the exact same logic) that a lack of belief in the supernatural causes not just violence but violence without any bounds?

Well, the OP was in reaction to a recent thread, http://thepoliticalforums.com/thread...-the-Tahitians, that pretty much said religion was violent or worse. And I found this piece that says there's no empirical evidence to support that.

[Mister D]

Well, the OP was in reaction to a recent thread, http://thepoliticalforums.com/thread...-the-Tahitians, that pretty much said religion was violent or worse. And I found this piece that says there's no empirical evidence to support that.

Ah, I see. I read that OP and couldn't make heads or tails of it. I knew it had some kind of anti-religious thrust but what exactly he was saying I wasn't sure.

[roadmaster]

Christians should desire to live in peace with all if it is possible. Not at all cost. We are suppose to be the light in this world and give His gospel to all of those who want to or can receive it. Reprobates cannot believe on the Lord. It was Him that gave them over. Men can't undo this.