💫Freedom 💠💠 Religion: instrument of peace or weapon of conflict?

💫Freedom 💠💠 Religion: instrument of peace or weapon of conflict?

Religions, at their core, preach noble values: compassion, forgiveness, love of fellow man, and moral responsibility. Christianity speaks of loving one's neighbor, Islam preaches charity, and Buddhism seeks inner peace and the avoidance of suffering. However, throughout history, these ideals have been repeatedly undermined by political interests and the thirst for power of elites. Instead of being a bridge to peace and harmony, religion has become a convenient pretext for violence and war.

One of the clearest examples is the Crusades, a series of holy wars in the Middle Ages in which thousands of people were killed in the name of freeing holy sites from Muslim control. Those who led these crusades appealed to a religious rhetoric designed to mobilize the masses, encouraging them to participate in a bloody war "in the name of God." Ordinary people, often thirsty for divine forgiveness, were convinced that by participating in these conflicts, they secured their salvation. But beyond religious rhetoric, the Crusades were also a means of territorial expansion, economic control and political domination.

Throughout history, wars and conflicts have been fueled by many factors: the desire for power, the control of resources, political and expansionist ambitions, but also religious beliefs. In a world where religion is supposed to be a force of peace and compassion, the paradox becomes apparent: too often, the names of God or other deities have been invoked to justify acts of violence, oppression and barbarism. In this article, I will critically examine how religions, which promise peace and love, have often been manipulated to excuse the most heinous crimes against humanity.

Divine sacrifice as an excuse for atrocities

Paradoxically, religions that promote love of fellow man have been used to justify inhumane horrors. In many cases, religious leaders or politicians have used holy words to hide selfish goals and manipulate the masses in favor of their own interests. The examples are numerous and geographically and historically diverse.

A serious example is the Inquisition, a period of persecution in medieval and modern Europe where those considered heretics were tortured and killed "in the name of God". Religious motivation served as a pretext for eliminating those who did not conform to the religious norms imposed by the Church. This "example of sacrifice" was often presented as a "spiritual cleansing measure", and those subjected to atrocities were depicted as necessary victims for the common good.

At the same time, also in modern conflicts, religion is used to legitimize violence. Extremist groups that claim a divine cause, such as the Islamic State or al-Qaeda, use verses from their scriptures to justify terrorist attacks, massacres and religious persecution. These groups interpret religious texts conveniently to justify their actions. To them, killing "infidels" is a divine duty, and their actions are seen as acts of sacrifice to a greater cause. In this way, religion, which should be a force for good, becomes a shield under which barbaric acts are hidden.

Wars in the Middle East: Religion as a Front for Economic and Political Interests

Frequently, conflicts in the Middle East have been and continue to be presented as religious wars between different sects and groups. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is often described as a war between Jews and Muslims for control of holy sites. However, while the religious aspects are obvious and indisputable, a deeper analysis of this conflict reveals the geopolitical and economic interests that underlie it.

The same can be said of the recent wars in Syria and Iraq, where religion is often used to mask interests in controlling resources and regional influence. The regimes and groups involved in these conflicts are essentially motivated not only by religious ideology, but also by the thirst for power and control over natural wealth. However, religion provides a convenient pretext to justify violence and mobilize supporters.

It is evident that in many cases the wars and conflicts in the Middle East have been presented through a religious lens, while in the background there have been struggles for control of natural resources such as oil and for political influence. Instead of being true holy wars, these conflicts become theaters of war, where religion is used to hide the real reasons for the violence.

Manipulating the masses through religion....a powerful old and effective strategy...In any lasting conflict, leaders need a way to mobilize the masses and convince them that the sacrifice is justified. Religion is one of the most powerful tools for achieving this goal because it appeals to people's strong emotions and core beliefs. Throughout history, politicians and military leaders have used religion to construct narratives of heroism, promising divine rewards for those who give their lives in the name of a holy cause.

In the Vietnam War, for example, both the Americans and the Vietnamese tried to justify the atrocities committed by both sides using religious rhetoric. In America, the war was presented as a struggle between good and evil, between democracy and communism, with divine involvement to justify the sacrifices. In the Vietnamese camp, nationalism and the Buddhist religion were used to motivate the struggle against foreign imperialism.

The same pattern can be seen in conflicts in Africa, where leaders use religion to legitimize acts of extreme violence, including genocide. During the Rwandan genocide, religious rhetoric was used to motivate and justify the massacres against the Tutsi population. Although at the core this conflict was ethnic and political, religion was used to mobilize people and transform the atrocities into a "divine mission".

From religious rhetoric to individual responsibility

Despite the abuses and manipulation of religion, it is important to emphasize that individual responsibility plays an essential role in preventing and denouncing these heinous acts. Each of us has a moral duty to critically examine how religion is used in contexts of violence and oppression. In many cases, people are blinded by religious rhetoric and are manipulated into participating in acts of violence that they would not normally commit.

Education plays a vital role in countering this trend. Critically understanding religious texts, avoiding literal interpretations, and educating people about historical abuses committed in the name of religion are essential steps toward preventing future conflict. Religion must be recognized as a force for good, not as an instrument of evil.

Wars and conflicts have often been cloaked in religion to justify inhumane actions and extreme violence. While religion, in its essence, should be a force of peace and love, it has been perverted by leaders who have used holy words only to excuse their heinous deeds. Understanding this paradox and fighting against religious abuses are necessary steps to create a more just world, in which religion regains its role as a moral and ethical guide for humanity.