Religion has Influence - Case Study Example

A glance at the current world affairs suggests that religion is at the core of most of the strife that can be seen round the globe (Brahm 2005). Religion has always been a contentious issue. Desecularisation of the world has stimulated the role of religion in conflicts (Reychler, 1995). While some argue that it is a central factor, other argue that religion has little or no influence in politics and society in general (Fox, 2004). Little (2005) contends that conflicts may be about politics, economics or nationalism but they are religiously influenced. Smock (2004) quotes Hans Kung who asserts that the “most fanatical and cruelest political struggles are those that have been colored, inspired and legitimized by religion”. Religion has been a source of international conflict and its role has only been reinforced over the year. Religion gives an individual his identity and any threat to one’s belief is a threat to one’s very being. Religion has always played a major role in addressing many conflicts round the world. While religion can also be a strong force for peace building and conflict resolution, in recent times, religion has become a stronger force in leading to international conflicts. Religion is a powerful force and its power remains undiminished. Together with ethnicity, class, language and a common history, religion builds the collective identity of the people (Workum, 2000). Religion helps distinguish the ‘in’ group from the ‘out’ group and ‘we’ from the ‘you’. Every human being, to maintain his identity is naturally attached to some ‘ism’ like liberalism, Marxism, nationalism, Hinduism. It is this very phenomenon that has become related to conflict and violence. The “clash of civilizations” thesis of Samuel P. Huntington stated that it was culture rather than ideology that would divide the world (Ercan, 2006). It also said that religion inspired intolerant and irreconcilable images of identity and commitment which was the cause of the conflicts. Religious fundamentalism is a source of international conflicts whether they are Muslims, Christians or Jews. All have become involved in violence, brutal tactics and even terrorism. Islamic fundamentalism has definitely left a mark after the September 11 attack on the US and other western countries by the radical Muslim groups. Religion plays a role in conflicts in three ways – legitimation, recruitment and peace settlement (Little, 2005). In the Israel-Palestine conflict religion has been used on both sides to justify armed conflict and to mobilize warriors. Holy sites and holy places become controversial issues and lead to conflicts. All these have led to a new threat to global security. History bears testimony to the American Presidents that have employed religious imagery to communicate with the American people, especially in times of crisis (Black, 2004). George Bush’s open religious rhetoric is more pronounced and more political than of any other modern president. His public speeches sound more like sermons. He combines his personal faith with his role as a president. Bush uses his religious perspective not only to guide his policies but he reiterates that religion alone can bring about political and social change as he even links government policies to divine providence. Bush’s Christian fervor confirms that the war against Iraq was a ‘crusade’ against the Muslims, as has been suggested by Osama Bin Laden. The Europeans do not appreciate such religious speeches and those in predominantly Muslim nations also react negatively. In 2002, the then President Bush condemned religious repression during a meeting in Shanghai with President Jiang, saying that Christianity played a dominant role in his life (Hutzler, 2002). Bush calls for secular democracy in Iraq yet he openly refers to Christian justification for his foreign policy (Hurd, 2004). Religion plays an important role in his strategic vision and public decision making. Bush believes that he has been empowered to do certain things by a transcendental authority. He uses religion as a justification for all his acts. Bush further mentions that freedom is God’s gift to humanity and that the United States is God’s instrument to spread that message (Little, 2005). This implies that Bush believes that the liberation of Iraq is the first step in a wider religious mission against worldwide terrorism. Religion is invoked again and again as a justification for nationalist activity. Today because of the immigration of the Muslims there is religious diversity in the European society. There are about 20 million Muslims in the EU member states (Byrnes, 2008). This is responsible for reintroducing religion and religious conflicts to European politics. Most of these conflicts pit religious believers against defenders who are secular. Old beliefs are being revived about European history and political development. As their numbers increase, Muslims in Europe continue to push the boundaries of “acceptable” religious politics on issues as varied as education, foreign policy and the role of women in European societies. This implies that non-Muslim Europeans would confront debates “concerning the appropriate role of religious beliefs in defining and articulating political interest”. Islam is posing a challenge to European secularism which is evident in many ways. In 2007, the French President Sarkozy, while claiming that the ‘roots of France are mainly Christian’ just as United States calls itself a ‘Christian nation’, also dismissed the grievances of the Islamic protestors in the outskirts of Paris. These Islamic protestors all over Europe demand same support from government like public funding of sectarian schools and church operations. As migration and integration intensify, Europe is likely to see religion more likely mixing with politics. Advances in technology have widened the gap between the western world and the Islamic countries. The Arab-Muslim clerics refer to the western world as enemies of Islam and the Muslims. The US has also been referred to as ‘the Great Satan’ by the political leader of Iran (ISTD, 2009). This animosity has given rise to a new religious philosophy within the Arab countries to destroy the western culture by acts of terrorism. These acts are carried out by ‘suicide terrorists’ whose minds are influenced to believe that they would receive eternal life in heaven. The 9/11 attacks in the US was carried out by such ‘suicide terrorists’, who in the name of religion gave up their lives. This is the “clash of civilization” between the Arab-Islam world and the western society. These violent philosophies present themselves as the modern version of jihad. Jihad is also responsible for intra-Arabic conflicts. Extremism in South Asia is evident from the recent bombings in Mumbai. Even though it is yet to be concluded but early information suggests that bombers came from religious extremist groups based, at least in part, from Pakistan (Horowitz, 2008). Events like these suggest that religiously-motivated violence will be a part of the international affairs in the years to come. Religious motivation has been an important driver in internal and international conflicts. It appears that the Cold War released the pressure valves round the world which in combination with other factors renewed the influence of religion on politics. Religion today as it stands plays a prominent role in the politics of many countries and religious extremism is deep-rooted. In the Islamic world, the Islamic groups fill up for the gaps by the government and then take advantage by utilizing violence to achieve their goals. The most important manifestation of religion in international conflicts concerns the behavior of Salafi Jihadis and groups like Al Qaeda. The Salafi Jihadis’s beliefs are an intense version of Islam. Salafi Jihadi feel it to be their obligation to transform the material world towards a more Godly system. The terrorist problem arises in the Islamic world due to religious nationalism. Osama Bin Laden for instance, finds that Saudi Arabia or Egypt is being governed by infidels who are destroying or corrupting the message of Quran (Horowitz, 2008). As a devout Muslim he feels it is obligation to incite armed revolt in order to transform the governments. In the name of his Islamic ideals he wants an immediate radical reform of the Middle Eastern governments. Palestinian terrorism too has nationalist features. Even though the objective is to win independent statehood, for the non-Palestinian Muslims the goal has religious significance. The entire struggle is interpreted as a wider Islamic campaign. Many Islamic groups declare that their aim is to re-establish one Muslim nation (Islamic ummah) which would have in its fold all the Muslim nations ruled by Islamic law and replacing the secular governments. The mass demonstration in support of Osama Bin Laden in many Arab countries is an expression of support for this wish for global Islamic unity. Tibet remained a society of feudal serfdom even in the first half of the 20th century where the secular serf owners controlled the freedom of the serfs and slaves who make up for more than 90% of the population of Tibet. For more than 700 years, the central government of China has continuously exercised sovereignty over Tibet, and Tibet has never been an independent state (BBC, 2008). No government of any country in the world has ever recognized Tibet as an independent state. There is no consensus yet on whether Tibet is a part of China. The reunification of China seems a remote possibility because neither side is willing to sacrifice. China is not willing to integrate the Tibetan values and culture in its custom and society and Tibet is not willing to sacrifice its national identity to become a part of the Chinese nationalism (Ayuda, 2008). Religion and religious leaders are being used to foster animosity. The tussle continues while China had thought that the enthronement of the 17th incarnation of the Karmapa Lama would bring about a new level of cooperation between the Communist Party and Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader, Dalai Lama. Beijing tried to control his education which was not approved by the Karmapa and this made him flee to India. Forney (2000) contends that had Karmapa maintained amicable relations with China, he could have brought about cooperation between Beijing and senior Tibetan monks. On the other side, the Official Chinese media accuses the Dalai Lama of “spewing lies” (China Daily, 2008). There is a fair amount of mistrust in the air whenever officials of the Chinese Government or even the nationalist Chinese people talk about Dalai Lama and his statements. In Sudan the civil was has been going on for decades and it stems from a religious conflict between the Muslims and the Christians. When the Islamic fundamentalist government came to power in 1989, their agenda was to Islamicize the whole of Sudan (Smock, 2008). The North and South in Sudan have always been divided and what is surprising is that Christians have been fighting the Christians in the south and the Muslims fighting Muslims in Darfur. It can thus been seen that every individual or every group is trying to find an identity for himself. Each leader or a religious head becomes a self-proclaimed leader and strives to unite the community or the people of the same religion under one head. This is especially true of Islam. Religion has been used by the heads of the nation or by the religious heads to influence the minds of the people as in the case of suicide terrorists who are promised eternal heaven. Nations identify themselves as Christian nation or a Muslim nation. There are many like Osma Bin Laden who wants to unite the entire Muslim world under one banner. The economic stagnation of the Muslim nations and the widening gap in technology between them and the western world led to rivalry and enmity. This rivalry manifested into conflicts which basically stemmed out of differences in religion. The conflicts span the globe and all religions are equally involved. In China too, the dispute between with Tibet has been given a colour of religion where the Karmapa has been blamed for running away. This has intensified the already strained relations between China and Tibet. Today terrorism and extremism is trying to overpower and rule the world and in all cases the extremists and the terrorists have a religious backing. Religion definitely has been a strong force in international conflicts. 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