LeEnfield, I agree with you, empire building is almost a natural evolution for countries as they seek to expand their sphere of influence. It used to be done soldiers, explorers & missionaries, nowadays it is done by financiers, bankers and accountants.

Do I believe GB was wrong to build its Empire - NO. Had it failed to do so other countries would've filled the void, were we the greatest rulers, probably not, but it is no use crying over spilt milk, we're talking about an era where might was right, so many countries changed hands after wars, it ws like a giant game of monopoly.

I do think that we need to be honest and accept that some of our reasons for Empire building were not quite humanitarian. Religion was used as a big part of that, either to sell expansion to Parlaiment or to justify its occurence. Fortunately as we develop into a more anti clericalist scoiety, that doesn't wash so much - so perhaps the truth will out? Eventually - Hopefully.

Yeah,it is one of the main reasons of the hatred in the balcans.
Although i don't believe in god.

Oh good, I was worrying that you were a Ustasa.

And I agree with what you said, Muslims conflicting with Orthodox, Orthodox conflicting with Catholics.. Horrible.

Well in Islamic Religion , We Have the Jihad fe Sabel Allah , Which fighting in the Name Of Allah , And i Like it Bcuz we have to defend our Land , What Arab ( Us ) Do is Just Not Muslim we must fight to get Israel oUT BUT NOT IN THE wAY OF the Terrisom as the Last is Killing muslims And US not Israelis ,, and that is Wron in our reiligon

Originally Posted by Ollie Garchy

Does Religion Contribute to War?

Of course it does. Why? War is a matter of civilization or of human organization. -snip-

I strongly disagree:

While religion might be an "officially featured" bit to motivate the solds, it is rarely the reason in the last 5 centuries...

Wars in the last 2k years (from the POV of ppl organizing/starting/"tool"izing them) have mainly/generally (a very few exceptions recognized) been about either 1. Territory, 2. Wealth/Ressources and 3rd: Power/Influence

Those might intersect, but from my POV these are the basic principles for wars to be fought until today, all the rest is just PR according to the times, prove me wrong.

Just to make clear what I am talking about, even todays asymetric stuff or even terrorist campaings like Al Kaida, IRA or ETA ones can be reduced to these factors.

Not too many mysteries IMHO.

Rattler

I agree with Rattler - although religion does get used as an excuse for war.

The more I examine this, I seem to find that since the Dark Ages, religion has been used as a pretext for war, but the perpetrators actually have ulterior motives. Then again I'm atheist, so I tend to regard most people as venal & self serving, using any label they can, just to get the job done - today I'm mostly cynical.

Religion doesnt start war, it just mainly generates stereotype, racism and hate.

Something the world SERIOUSLY has to get rid of.

Yes - for example, Adolf Hitler and The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem were probably the closest political allies of WW11.

Yes but then Adolf Eichmann also facilitated the movement of a lot of European Jews to Palestine and Winston Churchill himself said that if Hitler ever invaded hell he would at least put in a good word for the devil perhaps the The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem prefered hell to the British.

If you think about it, loss less people would have been killed in WW2 if we DIDNT have petty religions.

Hitler wouldnt have anything against jews, he wouldnt have been so ultra-nationalistic and I guess there would be half less reason to even fight any wars.