Terrorism. On first glance, it does not seem to tie in with religion. But it does – and in a big way. Whether currently or historically, terrorism and the resultant wars, conflicts, battles, and intolerance almost always ties in with religion.
Initially, the pagan Romans were tolerant of the Christians to some degree, allowing a live and let live philosophy. The Romans got a little nastier as time went on, and then in the fourth Century CE, Constantine announced that everyone would become Christian. The choices were that you would convert or die. Not surprisingly, many converted.
Augustine at about the same time, outlined all by himself all the rules and regulations, the dogma and the doctrine, ridiculous and rigidity of the relatively new Christian (then Catholic) church, never mind any other viewpoints. The church continued with man-made stuff and rules pretending to be God-made stuff and ritual.
The strife continued perhaps reaching a peak with the Inquisition and the torture of heretics for heresy, blasphemy and of women (largely) for being witches. Muslims, Jews and a lot of Christians died in this I’m-right-you-are-wrong Inquisition contest of wills and the Pope.
“Witches are the whores of the Devil’ said one famous quote from our beloved (sarcasm intended) Martin Luther, the originator of Protestantism and the Lutheran church, “which is why they must all be killed.” His pronouncement and similar thoughts from others like him led to the horrible deaths of 50,000 to 100,000 innocent women and girls.
Similarly, in his belief in Christianity, Luther wrote some of the most horrible anti-Semitic material ever that later served as justification by the Nazis for their treatment of the Jews.
For terrorism today, look to most of the conflicts in the world. The conflict between Northern Ireland and the rest of Ireland sometimes borders on the political, but is really rooted as Catholics against Protestants.
Much of the conflict in most of Africa today is a result of a shaman of one primitive religion originating a squabble against another religion run by another equally primitive shaman.
And if you look at the Taliban you find not a country fighting another country, but the enforcement arm of Islam and the Muslims in a religious battle against the Jews and the Christian world.
Drive a plane into the World Trade Building or into the Pentagon or blow up a British subway and you get a first class one way ticket to heaven or what passes for heaven with the Islamic deceived and deluded. How evil.
When Pakistan was formed the Hindus in the area had to leave to go to Hindu India, with Muslims traveling west to Islamic Pakistan. Some one million were killed in this religious transfer and exchange of ideas and people. How evil.
The Hutus and Tutsis of northern Congo had a mix of politics, native cultures and religions (traditional African and Christian) that led to the Hutus taking over from the previously governing Tutsis and the resultant conflicts killing about one million and displacing 12 million refugees. Of course, many survivors got their hands chopped off with machetes for believing the wrong thing or belonging to the wrong culture or religion. How evil.
It continues. It continues through history and through our current events, masquerading as “terrorism”. It is really religious, with all the evil of religion. Maybe we should have a new word - “religious war” “religious warfare” or even just “warreligious” or perhaps “religevil”. Either of these last two would best describe it. And those of all religions should be ashamed.
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