Transcript Violence and Religion

Violence and Religion
Assessing the sources
• Are they reputable? (where published?)
• How do they engage Islamic teaching?
• Can you perceive whether the author has
an agenda?
• Is his/her argument logical? Is it
grounded?
Arguments
• How does original historical context affect
interpreting the Quranic teachings today?
• What is the whole of Islamic teaching
about the use of violence?
• What is the Islamic doctrine of jihad?
• Who is authorized to call for aggression?
• Is Islam different from other religions?
Islam
• 600-700s: Arab societies have many wars
– Mohammad and companions fight for their
survival
– Use violence themselves (against Jews)
• Islam a unifying force for Arabs
– Gain control of new regions
– Politics and religion intertwined
• But, come under European control until
recently (colonization)
Judaism
• Early history tied to inheritance of a land
by conquering (covenant promise)
• Big change: Loss of political autonomy
(Babylonian Exile)
• Big change II: Rabbinic Judaism
• Today: State of Israel
– Tied to horrific violence that Jews suffered in
Holocaust (Fackenheim)
Christianity
• Big change: becoming state religion (381
CE) of Roman Empire
• Crusades (1000s to 1400s)
• Spanish Inquisition
• Wars of Religion between Catholics and
Protestants (1500s-1600s)
• Just War Tradition
• US Civil War?
Christian Just War Criteria
• Jus ad bellum (before going to war)
– Legitimate authority.
– Just cause: self-defense, in defense of another nation, to
protect innocents or to regain something wrongfully taken.
– Right intention: to establish peace, not for gain.
– Last resort.
– Reasonable chance of success.
– Proportionality: do not exceed the damage done by the
aggression itself.
• Jus in bello (during war)
– Noncombatant immunity: may never deliberately target
civilians.
– Proportionate means: restricts unnecessary use of force.
Buddhism
• Kicked Mongols out of China in 14th
century
• Japan
– Samurais used Buddhist practices to enhance
their technique
– Persecution, torture, and killing of Christians
in late 1500s and1600s
• Today: Civil war in Sri Lanka between
Buddhists and Hindus