Why do people fight in the name of religion??

I've never understood this either, keerthinarayan! There are so many different religions out there, and so many different ways of looking at the world, but in the end we are all human beings and share the same world. It just doesn't make sense to me to fight over such issues. People are often surprised to hear when I say things like this that I have very strong personal religious beliefs. I do have my own beliefs, and they are very important to me. However, I fully accept that while they shape my life is ways that are positive, for other people they might not do the same, and there is no reason why anyone else has to believe as I do to validate my beliefs. My relationship to the particular deities I worship is a very personal thing for me, just as if it were a relationship with friends and family members. As far as I'm concerned, as long as people are treating each other and the world fairly, I don't care if they believe in anything or nothing.

India is full of religious people. All type of religion exist here.People know that god is one, only names are different. Besides of all they fight with each other in the name of god. They also don't know why they are fighting with each other. I think it is because of some corrupt politician who misguide them and make them to fight with each other. For politician religion is very easy topic on which they easily raise some question to convert them in to big riots, because there is no loss of them in it instead of that they get vote and reputed positions in the country. Only people had to pay for it. But if people know that there is nothing in fighting with each other in the name of religion then they definetly never fight and remain happy ever after.

People who do not have humanity will fight in the name of spreading religion. But some people fight to save their religion... Both are Very different....

They fight because they don't have any respect for others. They are being selfish, and they think that, if someone doesn't want to be from the same religion as them, they kill the person and the person will go to Heaven. It's like if they were being heros when they kill. That's such a stupid thing, they are the ones going to Hell, if there is a Hell.

this is one question thats common in our minds. well my friend...the answer is simple. different religions indicate ideologies that vary for the same thing that is God. So people want majority o their end. Why will another person leave his / her ideoplogies and believe in the other. So if u need to win support it has to be forceful. Thats how they think and then they fight. Out of fear people get converted and they feel they win a majority. However, its only that a lot of people loose their lives in etween and that not condired by them. How inhuman could people be. I really wish nothing like religions ever existed.

Well i guess they fight not for the reason of protecting their religion but because of individual pride.

To me there is no fighting in the name of religion. Jihad, and the Americanized version of holy war that Bush has waged on the world, is totally false. It's got to be in the sane of something else, which I still don't agree with, that has nothing to di with religion at all. Religion is just the excuse people use to fight, and it's a poor one, at best.

I don't think the actual reason is religion. I think there are economical and power reasons they try to make up under the name of religions. If you look deep into religions, you fine they are amazingly similar: all talk about loving each other and respect our environment, which should be our real religious target instead of fighting others.

Underlying all these religious and ideological war is a deeper and far more disturbing reason - that is, political. It is all about power dynamics, and the religious leaders would do everything including pit their followers against each other just for greater political power, social capital, and economic benefits. It is sad that religion becomes a prey to the ugly nature of politics, but that's how it is. People thought they are fighting for beliefs, but what they are really battling for is the potential material and social benefits of being the "better" religion. Take the case of Iraq, whose real civil unrest started out after the elections. Or with the middle east's hate of American interference drive them to terrorism.

I am not sure why people fight all in the name of GOD/ RELIGION... I think people believe so strongly about what they think is the truth and try to fight that cause by all means I also think people think God their God needs to be defended, my answer to that is, if your god is that big why can't He defend HIMSELF? Some will fight and use any excuse to defend their violent tendencies and they will do anything all in the name of religion.

yes i am agree with you. what i mean to say is that being religious i strongly believe in humanity.although I am hindu, most of our workers are from muslims and sikh community. My tody's thought: when love spreads population increases. when hate spreads population decreases. So Spread LOVE and Only LOVE between me you and others