The idea that religious differences lead to conflicts simplifies the root causes of violence from "summary" of The Myth of Religious Violence by William T Cavanaugh
The notion that religious differences are the primary cause of violence is a simplistic and reductionist understanding of complex social and political dynamics. This idea fails to account for the multitude of factors that contribute to conflicts, such as political power struggles, economic disparities, and historical grievances. By attributing violence solely to religious beliefs, this perspective overlooks the ways in which religion can be manipulated and instrumentalized by various actors for their own interests. Religious differences are often used as a convenient scapegoat to justify conflicts that have deeper underlying causes. This allows political leaders, for example, to mobilize their followers around a common enemy, thereby diverting attention from their own oppressive and exploitative practices. In this way, religion becomes a tool for legitimizing violence rather than the root cause of it. Furtherm...
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