Human Beings with Divinity Assignment PDF
Added on 2021-05-27
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Running Head: RELIGION IS VIOLENT: A NEW ATHEIST PERSPECTIVERELIGION IS VIOLENT: A NEW ATHEIST PERSPECTIVEName of the Student:Name of University:Author Note:
1RELIGION IS VIOLENT: A NEW ATHEIST PERSPECTIVEThe fundamental idea of religion is that it is a medium or a dogma that connects humanbeings with divinity. The term ‘religion’ is derived from the Latin word “religio” which connotesa moral bond and self consciousness related to God. However, the literal meaning is to someextent differed from its practical trend (VanAernum 2014). It can be argued that in the 21stcentury there are a number of incidents that are directly related to religious atrocity (Blyth,Colgan and Edwards 2018). In fact, violence in religion is not a new phenomenon, ample ofevidences derived from the past can prove a correlation between terror and religion. Sinceclassical age Christianity and its followers are predominantly tried to suppress individual voiceand the next popular religion in the world, Islam in its core believes possesses some kind ofviolent habits (Syed et al. 2016). In this context, atheism in terms of practicality and rationalapproach was developed side by side with the rise of religion. The term ‘new atheism’ gainedpopularity in Britain in 2006 through a number of scholarly articles and popular perception(McAnulla 2014). Based on a secular fundamentalism the ‘new atheist’ approach is solely putsemphasis on the adversity of religion (Gray 2015). Despite immense criticism from the religiousside, the new approach of atheism became intensely popularised because of their rationalapproach and strive for knowledge. In addition to this, it can be argued that the increasingatrocities caused by religious institutions or individuals in the name of divinity makes people somuch fearful and concerned at the same time about the consequences of belonging to a religion.The basic idea of religion itself creates a negative identity which further fosters people to losetheir faith in religion. In response to that the purpose of this essay is to figure out the role ofreligion in society and the way it can spread animosity across the globe. In fact, the discussionextends its dimension by analysing the relevance of the new atheist claim of religion createsviolence. Therefore, the essay puts focus on some religion endorsed violence and its past history.
2RELIGION IS VIOLENT: A NEW ATHEIST PERSPECTIVEWith this a prolong discussion on the religious violence in recent times has also been taken intothe discussion.It can be argued that new atheist claim on religion causing violence is facing a series ofcriticism. The fundamentalist approach of the atheists is going into speculation which damagesthe real motive of new atheism. Despite facing challenges in their course of understanding, theclaim about religion that it is associated with terror, has gained appreciation from a number ofsecular person. While analysing the role of religion in violence it is imperative to track the practice ofreligious violence from the past. Since the ancient age religion has been considered as aneffective tool of aggression. In fact, during the reign of Roman emperors, the civilization hadexpanded its territory by converting people of other religion mercilessly and with an act of terror(Aslan and Hermansen 2017). It can also be asserted that during the medieval period, religiousclash between Islam and Christianity in the name of Crusade was so intense and fierce that itushered a communal clash across the world (Martin 2016). In the People’s Crusade, thousands ofJews were slaughtered for the sake of protecting religion. It was known as the Rhinelandmassacres (Buc 2015). In fact, there were nine times in the ancient age that communal clasheshad been taking in place between Islam and Christianity. The spread of atrocities and violencedue to the intention of expanding religion impacted very badly for the poor and common people.Moreover, killing of people in the name of cleansing witchcraft was also considered to beinhuman and never suits the very notion of religion (Geljon and Roukema 2014). It can also bestated that an essence of violence bestows in both Christianity and Islam. According to the law ofSharia beheading, stoning and flogging are considered to be legal as judicial and extrajudicialpractise. It further makes the Islamic violence more specific by using the term Jihad and Mujahid
3RELIGION IS VIOLENT: A NEW ATHEIST PERSPECTIVE(Cook 2015). The meaning of Jihad, to protect Islam by external threat, is now associated withthe term terror in such a manner that jihad juxtaposes the term terror. In Christianity as wellviolence is lingered prominently with religion. It can be argued that the crucifixion of Jesus wasa sheer example of violence which was against humanity (Salamati et al. 2015). In order to understand the violent attitude of religion in recent times it is important tokeep focus on the political conflicts of each country which are closely related to religion.According to Max Weber, there is a close affinity between politics and religion (Kaplan 2017).Moreover, religious outrages are often transformed into political conflicts. The religiousdimension of political violence can easily be seen in case of the US occupation in Afghanistan.As famous American historian Samuel P. Huntington aptly remarked that the conflict betweenUS and Islamic states was a ‘clash of civilisation’ which was broadly based on religion (Piri andPiri 2016). The US invasion in Afghanistan in 2001 has been regarded an instance of religiousatrocity. In his comments about the military deployment in Afghanistan the then President ofAmerica Mr. George W. Bush Jr. remarked that it was an act of retaliation against the terrormanifested by Islam and as a protector of Christianity it is the responsibility of America toneutralise any kind of threat to religion (Saiya and Scime 2015). In fact, during the USoccupation in Syria and Iraq, the inhabitants of those countries identified America as heathen andevil in the eyes of Allah.Terrorism as an act of protecting religion became a trend after the attack of 9/11 in theyear 2001. Al- Qaeda, the terrorist organisation of Afghanistan admitted their direct involvementin that attack and justified this punitive measure by claiming it a Jihad against the Christiandomination (Brubaker 2015). After the assassination of Al-Qaeda chief Osama-bin- Laden in2011 most if the American people treated it as a victory over Islam. A petty idea of religious
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