Epiphanies
by Thomas Dunbar
Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: Opinion
Conflict, whether between siblings fighting over a toy or nations fighting for independence, has been a part of the human experience since the dawn of mankind.
It is fueled by many different factors, though perhaps a dominant theme in any conflict is wanting something that someone else has, whether it be land, a woman or honor.
Religion, similar to conflict, has also been a part of the human experience for as long as we have had recorded history. Although anthropologists often debate the origins of religion, no one is sure as to when, or why, it started.
What is so disturbing to me is the frequency that religion is used as a justification for war. In today’s world we are often bombarded by the images of Islamic Jihadists with RPG’s, car bombs and AK-47’s running through the streets of Iraq, Pakistan and Israel. They are motivated by the belief that it is the will of God to destroy all who disagree with their beliefs and to cleanse the world of infidels.
As upper middle class college students thousands of miles away from such conflict, it is easy for us to look down upon those who would take the life of another in the name of a religion that many of us do not hold
to be the truth. It is so easy for us to forget what has been done in the name of Christianity.
From 1095 to 1272 CE there were a series of nine religiously- motivated crusades that resulted in the death of thousands of individuals on both sides. While this time frame should be at least vaguely familiar to all of us, what I am interested in is the correlation that I see between the Crusades of Europe and the Jihads of today.
Christianity was founded in the first century CE and yet did not become wide-spread until Christianity was made the official religion of Rome. Once the Roman empire adopted Christianity as it’s official religion, Rome always fought under the banner of the cross and many battles were fought in the name of Christ.
Today, many Christians will tell you that Christianity is a peaceful religion and that the teachings of Christ are of pacifism. However, there is no way around the fact that those who followed Christianity still fought a religious war. What was done in the name of the Christian religion is often shocking to modern followers and explained away as a misunderstanding of the true tenants of faith.
Similarly, Islam is also a religion of peace and devotion to God. Yet many horrible things have been done in its name. I pose that the Jihads of today are analogous to the
Crusades of the Middle Ages. It is a twisting of a beautiful and peaceful religion that one day will be viewed as unimaginable to all who are Islamic.
It is fueled by many different factors, though perhaps a dominant theme in any conflict is wanting something that someone else has, whether it be land, a woman or honor.
Religion, similar to conflict, has also been a part of the human experience for as long as we have had recorded history. Although anthropologists often debate the origins of religion, no one is sure as to when, or why, it started.
What is so disturbing to me is the frequency that religion is used as a justification for war. In today’s world we are often bombarded by the images of Islamic Jihadists with RPG’s, car bombs and AK-47’s running through the streets of Iraq, Pakistan and Israel. They are motivated by the belief that it is the will of God to destroy all who disagree with their beliefs and to cleanse the world of infidels.
As upper middle class college students thousands of miles away from such conflict, it is easy for us to look down upon those who would take the life of another in the name of a religion that many of us do not hold
to be the truth. It is so easy for us to forget what has been done in the name of Christianity.
From 1095 to 1272 CE there were a series of nine religiously- motivated crusades that resulted in the death of thousands of individuals on both sides. While this time frame should be at least vaguely familiar to all of us, what I am interested in is the correlation that I see between the Crusades of Europe and the Jihads of today.
Christianity was founded in the first century CE and yet did not become wide-spread until Christianity was made the official religion of Rome. Once the Roman empire adopted Christianity as it’s official religion, Rome always fought under the banner of the cross and many battles were fought in the name of Christ.
Today, many Christians will tell you that Christianity is a peaceful religion and that the teachings of Christ are of pacifism. However, there is no way around the fact that those who followed Christianity still fought a religious war. What was done in the name of the Christian religion is often shocking to modern followers and explained away as a misunderstanding of the true tenants of faith.
Similarly, Islam is also a religion of peace and devotion to God. Yet many horrible things have been done in its name. I pose that the Jihads of today are analogous to the
Crusades of the Middle Ages. It is a twisting of a beautiful and peaceful religion that one day will be viewed as unimaginable to all who are Islamic.
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