Religion In Politics

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 8:56 pm

hvfriesen wrote: It seems that news reporting of political events in the world is prejudiced in the sense that the religious ingredients are often left out. Examples are the folllowing: After the breakup of Yougoslavia there was considerable bloody strife between the Serbs, Kroatians, Bosnians, Muslims (in the Herzegovina) and Macedonians. Never was it mentioned that these different ethnic groups also adhered to different religious tenets. The Kroatians are Roman Catholics, the Serbs Orthodox, the Muslims (the only religion mentioned (!) the Macedonians also Orthodox. Further, the Albanians I believe Catholic and Muslim. Further, we are told of the anymosity between Pakistanis and Indians. never that Pakistanis are Muslim, Indians are Hindu. In northern Ireland the conflict between the Irish and the Ulster people is between Protestants and Catholics. I can imagine, although it never is reported, that the conflicts in Africa are also between different religious groups. It certainly leads one to suspect that religion is behind much if not most of the conflicts inflaming the world today. Of course, this applies also to Iraq, where Sunni and Shiites are only prevented from fighting each other by the US presence.
You are quite right in my view. Religious differences were certainly played down during the Yugoslav conflict. Same with Pakistan and India. It seems to me there is a good piece to be written by an enterprising journalist.

koan · Post by **koan** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 10:35 pm

It is thought by some that the war in Iraq is a religious war when it is actually a political war over oil and power. So, perhaps, the media just flavours things the way that suits them at the time.

It is an interesting point to bring up all the various religions involved because the media most definately only colours the world in black and white. ie)Christians against Muslims leaving out all the others along the way.

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Thu Jan 20, 2005 11:31 pm

koan wrote: It is thought by some that the war in Iraq is a religious war when it is actually a political war over oil and power. So, perhaps, the media just flavours things the way that suits them at the time.

It is an interesting point to bring up all the various religions involved because the media most definately only colours the world in black and white. ie)Christians against Muslims leaving out all the others along the way.
The suicide bombers are a major component of the current war in Iraq. The Sunni's and the Shite's do not share the same religious convictions and therin lies some of the problem with the forth coming Iraq elections. It's over power and who will control, but religion never the less is a issue in that country.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 3:39 pm

hvfriesen wrote: It seems that news reporting of political events in the world is prejudiced in the sense that the religious ingredients are often left out. Examples are the folllowing: After the breakup of Yougoslavia there was considerable bloody strife between the Serbs, Kroatians, Bosnians, Muslims (in the Herzegovina) and Macedonians. Never was it mentioned that these different ethnic groups also adhered to different religious tenets. The Kroatians are Roman Catholics, the Serbs Orthodox, the Muslims (the only religion mentioned (!) the Macedonians also Orthodox. Further, the Albanians I believe Catholic and Muslim. Further, we are told of the anymosity between Pakistanis and Indians. never that Pakistanis are Muslim, Indians are Hindu. In northern Ireland the conflict between the Irish and the Ulster people is between Protestants and Catholics. I can imagine, although it never is reported, that the conflicts in Africa are also between different religious groups. It certainly leads one to suspect that religion is behind much if not most of the conflicts inflaming the world today. Of course, this applies also to Iraq, where Sunni and Shiites are only prevented from fighting each other by the US presence.I've been saying this for years.

gmc · Post by **gmc** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 4:02 pm

posted by lon

You are quite right in my view. Religious differences were certainly played down during the Yugoslav conflict. Same with Pakistan and India. It seems to me there is a good piece to be written by an enterprising journalist.

It was ethnic cleansing based on religon and tribal groupings, that is what it was all about. It certainly wasn't played down as that was the obvious cause. Why mention it in every news report what is common knowledge. The Christians seem to have started it.

Same with india and pakistan, india was partitioned along religious lines in 1947. I suspect it's more a case that it is such common knowledge and hardly a new conflict. there is no need to keep stating the obvious.

It's th same in Northern Ireland, religon used to fan the fires of hatred instead of making peace.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Fri Jan 21, 2005 4:36 pm

gmc wrote: posted by lon

It was ethnic cleansing based on religon and tribal groupings, that is what it was all about. It certainly wasn't played down as that was the obvious cause. Why mention it in every news report what is common knowledge. The Christians seem to have started it.

Same with india and pakistan, india was partitioned along religious lines in 1947. I suspect it's more a case that it is such common knowledge and hardly a new conflict. there is no need to keep stating the obvious.

It's th same in Northern Ireland, religon used to fan the fires of hatred instead of making peace. And Yes, I believe this will be the New Holocaust of the 21st Century "Ethnic Cleansing within Europe" after 2007.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 3:52 am

Religion is a scourge. Ban it,

koan · Post by **koan** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:11 am

Politics is a scourge. Ban it.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:15 am

koan wrote: Politics is a scourge. Ban it. Tell that to G.W.

koan · Post by **koan** » Sun Jan 30, 2005 4:19 am

capt_buzzard wrote: Religion is a scourge. Ban it,
Tell that to the Pope.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 5:04 pm

Religion and Politics is alive here in Europe. The Roman Catholic Church in Rome is an multi national business and very political with its own dipolmatic corp, and own flag.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:11 am

But then, Look at Northern Ireland

David813 · Post by **David813** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:15 pm

capt_buzzard wrote: Religion is a scourge. Ban it,I agree. It's tonic for the weak.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:32 pm

David813 wrote: I agree. It's tonic for the weak.Institutional Religion is about Power over the masses. Mind control freaks. Its really your purse they are after,not your soul

Jives · Post by **Jives** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:34 pm

hvfriesen wrote: It certainly leads one to suspect that religion is behind much if not most of the conflicts inflaming the world today.

Tsk Tsk. Don't ban either of them, just don't MIX them!

I saw an extremely well-written article on why the Eastern World hasn't kept up technologically with the West.

You see, at one time the Arabic World was way ahead of the Europeans. They even invented Arabic Numerals and were very advanced in Science as early as the Dark Ages, way before the European Reniassance.

So what happened?

They mixed politics and religion. Since all their decisions became based, not on fct or logic, but on beliefs and mysticism, their civilization stagnated while the Western civilzation, with it's separation of church and state, advanced by leaps and bounds.

Put it this way, if we followed their example, the Baptists would be fighting the Catholics inthe Senate, the Presbyterians would be fighting the Mormons in the House and nothing, absolutely nothing, would get done.

That's what the Arab world did in the past, and it's still that way today.

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Mon Jun 06, 2005 2:37 pm

Jives wrote: Tsk Tsk. Don't ban either of them, just don't MIX them!

I saw an extremely well-written article on why the Eastern World hasn't kept up technologically with the West.

You see, at one time the Arabic World was way ahead of the Europeans. They even invented Arabic Numerals and were very advanced in Science as early as the Dark Ages, way before the European Reniassance.

So what happened?

They mixed politics and religion. Since all their decisions became based, not on fct or logic, but on beliefs and mysticism, their civilization stagnated while the Western civilzation, with it's separation of church and state, advanced by leaps and bounds.

Put it this way, if we followed their example, the Baptists would be fighting the Catholics inthe Senate, the Presbyterians would be fighting the Mormons in the House and nothing, absolutely nothing, would get done.

That's what the Arab world did in the past, and it's still that way today.They started politics & religion in the first place. Didn't Jesus have a go at the Romans