War_and_Religion

The Sunnis believed that the caliphate should go to Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1924116,00.html#ixzz0iC0NbKD1 The Sunnis believed that the caliphate should go to Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1924116,00.html#ixzz0iC0NbKD1 Religion has existed throughout time as a way for people to better understand the universe and their life experiences. There are many religions in the world and each consists of their own beliefs, faiths and morals. Many times however that causes disputes and often even wars have been started because of religious conflicts. Some examples of religion impacted wars would be the Sunni vs. Shi'ite, Isreal vs. Palestine, and “the Troubles” in Northern Ireland. Each of these wars have resulted in major loss of people and even genocides. I do believe war is the product of religion. The Sunni-Shi'ite split began after Muhammad's death and dealt with who would lead Islam, since he died without sons and no clear will there was no one to inherit his authority. The Shi'ite believed Ali, Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, was the only one with the spiritual authority to succeed Muhammad. The Sunnis believed that the caliphate should go to the person who would best politically maintain the Muslim empire and they thought Abu Bakr was a perfect fit. Bakr was named the first caliph. Eventually Ali was assumed the caliphate 25 years later he was assassinated. The founder of the first Sunni dynasty gained power. The breaking point came when the son of Ali, Huessien, challenged what he believed was a corrupt and tyrannical Sunni leadership. When he was killed in Karbala, and later many of Muhammad's family, the Shi'ites saw that as the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the Muslims and all oppressed people. Nowadays this conflict has spread throughout most of the Middle East and has even reached other continents such as the United States. The oppressing of the Jews some 2,000 years ago has much to do with what is now the Israeli-Palestine conflict. Romans killed Jews and destroyed much of their culture in Israel forcing them to seek refuge in other countries. Things however did not really improve for the Jews elsewhere and many of them returned to Israel after World War Two and the Holocuast. Throughout those 2,000 years Muslims had settled in what they called Palestine and that is when the fight for the land really began. Both sides believe the land was given to them by God and to give it up would not only be an insult to God but a sin. That reason alone is why the conflict still exists. On December 31, 1964 the conflict reached a new level of intensity with the first al-Fatah (a Palestine political and military group formed in the late 1950's) raid into Israel from Lebanon. Although the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is based on the land itself, their beliefs and religion is one of the reasons why it is still around and just might be for years to come. England has governed the people of Northern Ireland and has created social conditions fueling conflict and violence that has engulfed the province for many years. Conflicts started at about the time when the British divided the Irish people and imposed a different British identity. The UVF (an illegal loyalist paramilitary organization) declared war on their rivals the IRA after they killed protestant widow by throwing a bomb through a window. The UFV then shot many Catholics thus worsing the conflict between them. Both protestants and catholics want each other out of Northern Ireland and are trying to do so with violence. Although some disagree with the idea that religion causes war I do believe that it ignites it and other things such as natural resources and money keep the conflicts going. All the conflicts or wars I discussed have in one way or another involved religion and different beliefs. Over all peace will not be attainable as long as religion exists. Even in countries were religion and state claim to be separated there are still disputes towards it, a few examples being abortion and gay marriage in the United States. As long as religion is a part of humanity so will war.