When Huntington wrote the "Clash of Civilizations", it was hailed as a ground-breaking piece of work, able to explain the direction of future conflicts in the global society. He was wrong. What he wrote about was nothing new. Conflicts along religious lines is as old as religion itself. You could almost say that religions are tailored for conflict.
In theory, the mainstream religions of human civilization advocate peace. But in reality, most are pretty intolerant, expecially of other, competing religions. Its not supposed to be a race, but every religion seems to want to claim heaven as their exclusive domain.
In Islam, we are thought to believe that only Muslims will be admitted to heaven. I doubt that the teachings in Judaism and Christianity are very much different. So what happens when everyone believes that they are the "chosen ones" and that everyone else is going to burn in hell-fire?
Chaos and violence. Death, murder and war. The Crusades, the Palestine/Israel conflict, Kashmir/India/Pakistan, the UK and Nothern Ireland. What a mess.
{ a friend }: damn, UK initiated direct rule over Northern Ireland over allegations of IRA espionage.
{ a friend }: and i thought this was over...even wrote a paper for international law on the Northern Ireland peace process
Aizuddin: dear, whenever religion, land and sovereignity are the issues, it'll NEVER be over until one side drops dead
{ a friend }: oh don't say that.
Aizuddin: look at the middle east
{ a friend }: i know.
Aizuddin: palestine/israel will still a violent issue when our children are old
Well, maybe not. Not, if somewhere along the line either the Muslims or Jews are totally exterminated in a bloody war. Only then will there be peace.
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