War without religion

[Trinity]

Would we have war if there was no religion?

[mgb]

Yes.

Expansion of land and empire building are great reasons for a war. Look at WWII. Nazi Germany was a state that rose out of the idea that God was dead so there were no moral implications to your actions. Germany was trying to create a larger homeland for itself.

[Solo]

I don't think there would be as many.It seems to me that religion is one of the few things people seem willing do die for.

[Boneca]

I think that religion has often been used as an excuse for wars that are actually fought for more material reasons, such as land, control of waterways, access to natural resources etc.
If there was no religion, people would simply find another excuse.

[Arioch]

Most religious wars wern't religious at all.

Crusades for example were influenced by greed rather then faith.
the trick? From every religious conflict take away the religion and think what they'd do.
Shake hands? Hell no... blast eachother to pieces? Work as usual.

[SheepDog]

In God We Trust.

[ohnoaninfp]

Uh, yeah! People love to fight. We would just find something else to fight about if their was no religion.

[Dman]

Yeah. If it's not religion, it's money, power, land, greed, envy, etc. I think power probably trumps everything else. That's really what fighting for religion, money, etc. all boil down to, isn't it?

[Chill]

Religion, among it's uses, is that is gets the common people willing to die for the government, or a demagogue.

[SheepDog]

Chill, you reminded me of something I've always wanted to do--start my own religion.

[songbird36]

There's already been a thread about this a month or so ago.

Claverhouse had a lot to say on the subject I recall

[int]

Yea, country, political party, gender, whatever. There's always something to follow blindly and we can always fight about that.

[Sackanaka]

Chill, you reminded me of something I've always wanted to do--start my own religion.

You too? :shock:

[Chill]

Chill, you reminded me of something I've always wanted to do--start my own religion.

Hey if Hubbard could do it, i suppose you could too. Then again, I suppose he was an INTJ.

[blue_eye]

Of course. Let's say that there was no God (which I don't believe) and no heaven or hell (which I don't believe as well). Anyhow, there would be nothing to lose, because all that you would have is the 'here and now.' Wouldn't you just be fearless when it comes to war, I mean, 'I'm gonna die anyway so I just may as well man this gun and take the spoils.' Or is religious wars just something for us to blame that really isn't the issue (ie greed is the issue, but blame religion for it anyway).

[Jezebel]

Of course. Let's say that there was no God (which I don't believe) and no heaven or hell (which I don't believe as well). Anyhow, there would be nothing to lose, because all that you would have is the 'here and now.' Wouldn't you just be fearless when it comes to war, I mean, 'I'm gonna die anyway so I just may as well man this gun and take the spoils.'

No, if anything, I'm going to value life in the "here and now" even more, because for all I know, it's all I'm going to get. It seems like it would be the other way around... would you mind dying so much if you were certain heaven was waiting for you?

[Chill]

Of course. Let's say that there was no God (which I don't believe) and no heaven or hell (which I don't believe as well). Anyhow, there would be nothing to lose, because all that you would have is the 'here and now.' Wouldn't you just be fearless when it comes to war, I mean, 'I'm gonna die anyway so I just may as well man this gun and take the spoils.' Or is religious wars just something for us to blame that really isn't the issue (ie greed is the issue, but blame religion for it anyway).

Only if you were defeatist.

[KentOhio]

would you mind dying so much if you were certain heaven was waiting for you?

No, I wouldn't mind. But if hell might be waiting for me, I certainly WOULD mind.

[Chill]

No, I wouldn't mind. But if hell might be waiting for me, I certainly WOULD mind.


Well then kill the infidels. That's a SURE way to make sure you're not going there!

[ohnoaninfp]

Hell yeah! There are plenty of things to kill each other for! Lets see.................

1. money
2. Lust
3. hertitage
4. Ethnitcity..................Shall I continue?

[jimkopelli]

5. Because he/she/they told me to.
6. Nothing better to do.
7. Shits and giggles.
8. He looked at me funny.
9. Don' go talkin' bad 'bout my momma!
and on and on and on...

[Dman]

10. To secure peace...

[Chill]

11. Revenge

[Claverhouse]

10. To secure peace...
:devil: :)


Anyway, it's perfectly possible to have wars without any religion mixed in; but you lose a bit of the zest that makes it all worthwhile.



Claverhouse :ph34r:

[Edmond Zedo]

My god lives above your god. (Subotai)

[Clara]

Trinity, I also don't think there's any religion in "religious" wars...

Will we hear what you think?

(oh, I also don't think an INTJ would start a "new religion"... that's based on an extremely small poll-base, though ;) )