Don’t Blame Religion for All Violence

There are some religion-bashers out there who make it sound as though religion is the source of all violence and conflict in the world.  Richard Dawkins has come close to saying something like that, so did Christopher Hitchens. And it’s just empirically false.  

The greatest bloodshed in the last century was caused by secular ideologies, communism and Nazism.  Obviously religion does a lot of harm, but then the question is—what can we do about religion and conflict?  I think religious people can really help to bring the end of war about very rapidly if they embrace the tenants of their faith.  ‘Thou shalt not kill’ is actually a core belief of all religions.  Live it instead of just mouthing the words.   My hope is that secular peaceniks like myself can come together with religious people and help to create this really powerful peace movement.

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