Religion & Conflict

Religion and faith are very important to people. People feel very strongly about their belief in a higher power and an ultimate truth in their lives. When I think about religion, one of the first thoughts to pop into my mind is peace. I think of Holidays like Christmas and Hanukah when families are together to celebrate their religion and each other. People congregate in their religious centers and celebrate their faith. Religious views are strongly held among religious groups. Since people feel so strongly about their religions, it can also cause religious conflict (Martin & Nakayama, 221). Some examples of religious conflict include Christian protests against Mormons in Salt Lake City. Most religious conflict is nonviolent, yet it is not peaceful. The most horrific form of religious conflict took place during the Holocaust. Approximately six million Jewish people died because of religious persecution. It is hard to believe that religion can cause conflict that leads to the death of so many individuals.

Religion brings to mind peace, but has also caused a considerable amount of conflict around the world. Religious groups feel strongly about their cause and are willing to fight for it. Hopefully, some day, religious groups will be able to accept one another. When groups feel strongly about their beliefs, you cannot change their mind. It is pointless to fight over religious beliefs. In the future I hope that religious groups can live in peace realizing that although they do not have the same beliefs, they do not need to protest or fight one another.