What's the first thing you think of when I say "religious warfare?" It's probably along the lines of Islam, Jihad, etc. The term religious warfare is breathed with a negative connotation. What we neglect is that most of the wars of the past century had nothing to do with religion. They were based on atheistic principles. Religious warfare is not what we've made it out to be.
Religious warfare does not stand for intolerance, zealousness, or fanaticism. It's not restricted to one or a few religions, it is part of all. In my opinion atheism is a relgion. Therefore, in my opinion, most, if not all, wars have been fought for relgious reasons. Religions war within themselves. Religions war with each other. War cannot be avoided. To all of you out there who believe in world peace, it's not happening for a long time.
Religious warfare is protecting one's religious beliefs. It's standing up for what you believe in. Sometimes force is needed to stop the spread of evil.
In this post-9/11, post-7/7 world, religious warfare is often quickly labeled as terrorism. Remember, terrorism is always defined by a point of view. Just because you think it's terrorism, doesn't mean that others do. People who commit acts labeled as "terrorist attacks" feel completely justified in what they're doing. It's not the act, it's the point of view that makes it terrorism.
Religious warfare is a part of every culture. It's a part of life that we're not going to get rid of for a long time. Just don't let yourself believe that religious warfare is restricted to one religion. And don't let yourself believe that religious warfare is terrorism. It's really about standing up for what you believe in and protecting what you feel you have the right to believe.
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