RELIGION CAUSES MORE CONFLICT THAN THEY

FOSTER PEACE
Kristina Alviar
Introduction:

The overall concept of religion is simple. It’s to help you to live a life of good so something good

can happen to you when you die, to explain the unknown. “Most religions prize forgiveness as a

strength, and discourage people from taking revenge on those who have wronged them” (Ks3

Religious Studies, 1). Many religions start with the intent of making people understand how to

be civil, ethical, and have hope for a better outcome. Religious values are similar to one another

in that they worship superbeings in hopes that you have a good afterlife, as well as a good

current life. Being part of a religion can also give you a strong sense of community and

belonging, which can be beneficial especially during rough times. Conflicts can start when

people think that their beliefs are better than another’s. They validate that they live a very

successful life because of their religion. Even though religion is supposed to teach you right from

wrong, many people may see the way that they live their life as a possible reward or punishment.

Value of Ethics:

Religions value ethics and may even have set rules or goals. In Hinduism they have a view on

what a good life would be like. Goals are Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Dharma is having

a good sense of morals. Artha is having wealth, physical or nonphysical. Kama is to achieve

pleasure in many ways. Moksha is achieving liberation from the cycle of life and death. The

overall goal is to achieve Moksha. In Buddhism they believe in Karma and how it could affect

the overall outcome of one’s life. The goal is to achieve Nirvana to escape samsara, the cycle of

rebirth. In Judaism they actually have a list of 613 commandments. They believe that there is a

covenant between God and his people, only wanting us to be compassionate. Christians have the

ten commandments. These are a set of rules they follow in order to live a successful life and have
a successful outcome. In Islam, that also have a similar list of commandments. The way they live

their life is based on obeying Allah to keep his love. All of these religions have a problem as well

as a solution to those problems. To do what is right will make members believe that they will

have a successful current life as well as afterlife. The way this can cause conflict is that in order

to have that “good life,” there are usually a lot of expectations put on the members. Many

religions require certain diets, clothing, or practices. If you don’t meet the expectations then you

can be frowned upon by other members.

Superbeings:

A very large part of religion is the worship of superbeings. Most religions have certain rituals to

show their devotion to those superbeings. They don’t want to disappoint these gods/goddesses

because they want to ensure they will have a better life. Hindus worship many gods and

goddesses, because they have certain meanings associated with them. For example Vishnu is the

protector, Shiva is the destroyer, and Brahma is the creator. They have many rituals in Hinduism,

many of which people have adapted into their daily lives. Meditation and yoga are popular rituals

in Hinduism. Rituals such as chanting names of the gods and goddesses and prayer are ways they

show devotion. Buddhists don’t particularly worship a god, but they believe that their life should

have good karma so that they can escape samsara. Popular rituals include chanting Mantras and

meditation with Mudras. They believe meditation opens you up to a higher state of awareness.

Christianity mainly focuses on God and Jesus Christ. They believe that we should live our lives

“Christ-like” so we can get a spot in heaven. Rituals are prayer and baptism, which signifies

purification and admission. Islam believe in Allah which is the only god. They believe that Allah

is all knowing and nothing happens without permission from them. These religions worship these
superbeings in hopes for a reward rather than a punishment. People who take their worshipping

to the extreme can cause conflict by stating their god is better than another’s. Some also will say

that whoever they worship directly affects their lives in a positive way and that since another

person believes in something different, they might experience negativity or their life won’t be as

successful.

Belonging and Community:

A huge benefit of being a part of a religion is the community and sense of belonging you gain.

Depending on how involved you are in rituals and services, you may get a lot of help and support

from other members. Many will have some resources in order to help in a time of need. Having a

shared system of morals and values is one of the best ways to connect with others. Children who

were raised in the same religion may become long lasting friends. Children are also introduced

into religion starting from when they’re first born. This can be seen as controversial because at

that point they don’t have a choice. Children who grew up in a religion can experience trauma

based off of the rules and expectations that sometimes they can’t even meet. “In recent years,

mental health practitioners have begun the work of cataloging and defining religious trauma”

(Russel-Kraft, 19). Many people are now speaking out about their traumas regarding their

religion. In some religions, once excommunicated they may be frowned upon or shunned in the

community. This can cause conflict because most religions are accepting of others and that’s

what starts the feeling of belonging in the first place. Being frowned upon or shunned can go

against what that member was taught throughout their experience in that religion.
Counterargument:

With all of the differences in religions and the ways they practice, that is where conflict can

begin. People want to have shared values with everyone so we all have a solid reason as to why

our lives are the way they are. It makes you feel much better to think that something much higher

than you is blessing you every day and is the reason as to why your life is so great. When other

people have different beliefs than you, it can feel like your reason is less valid. Many religions

have the same intent and the same goal, to have a successful life and a good outcome. It’s the

comparisons of deeply held beliefs that can anger people. Nobody wants to feel like their efforts

are meaningless. In today's times, religions tend to clash based on biases behind them. A lot of

people are acting out of emotion and are using religion to back up their argument. It can be seen

as a way of making yourself look better than another. Two religions that had a lot of conflict are

Christianity and Islam, even though they have some similarities. They both primarily believe in

one God and believe that their god is what makes their life successful. They clashed and

therefore, caused religious conflict as well as political conflict. An easy way to start conflict with

religion is to bring it into politics. Many politicians will bring religion into their argument in

order to appeal to a larger population. This can make it harder for people who are not religious.

People who are not religious shouldn’t be meant to believe that they are lower than anyone

because they don’t believe in what others do. “ Critics who claim that religious people have

perpetrated many of the world’s greatest horrors are, in my view, correct. Also correct are

defenders of religion who claim that religious people have been some of the world’s greatest

peacemakers'' (Prothero, 6). Many people believe that religion is what gives the world peace and

that can be true for many. It all depends on the person and their perception of the world we live

in as well as the circumstances. People may have personal experiences that “prove” to them that
there is a higher power of some sort and that is what gives them peace. They would like to share

their experiences with others, or find others that have similar experiences as theirs.

Conclusion:

Religion itself without the people being a part of it, is not able to start conflict. It is the people

who are able to take things to the extreme. If all religious people fully followed what their

religions tell them, there likely wouldn’t be conflict. Religion teaches us right from wrong and

most of it involves being kind and compassionate, living without judgement of others, and loving

thy neighbor. Being kind and compassionate can lead us to living an enlightened life. If we all

stopped focusing on the small differences the world would be a very happy place. The ethics,

superbeings, and belonging of religion do not cause conflict; it's the people who seek to prove

their beliefs are what got them to overcome challenges in their lives.
 Work Cited Page

"Is Religion a Power for Peace or Does It Cause Conflict? – Ks3 Religious Studies." BBC
Bitesize. BBC, 27 Mar. 2020. Web. 05 Aug. 2021.

Prothero, Stephen R. Religion Matters: An Introduction to the World's Religions. New

York: W. W. Norton, 2020. Print.

Russell-Kraft, Stephanie. "Can Religion Give You PTSD? Meet the “exvangelicals”
Seeking Therapy for Religious Trauma." 23 Mar. 2021. Web.

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