Key Issue #4 – Why Do Territorial Conflicts Arise
Among Religious Groups?
• Cold War – global conflict about democracy vs.
communism
• Cold War ends 1990-ish – local conflict about cultural
diversity – religion
• Resurgence of religious fundamentalism – literal
interpretation of religious documents; strict and intense
adherence to basic principles of religion
• Intense resistance to cultural and economic
globalization; desire to preserve distinctive cultural
identity.
• Insistence by some groups that their beliefs are the ONLY
correct one. (Exclusionary views)
2 Kinds of Religious Conflict
• Religion vs. Government Policies
• Religion vs. Religion
• Which one is the “War on Terrorism”?
Religion vs. Govt. / Econ. Modernization
• Religion vs. Social Change
– Taliban Islamists vs. Western Values
– Hinduism (caste system) vs. Social Equality
– Evangelical Xtians (LRA) in Uganda vs. Homosexuality
• Religion vs. Communism
– Eastern Orthodox Xtianity & Islam vs. Communism
– Buddhism vs. Southeast Asian countries (“immolation”)
• Angkor Wat in Cambodia – Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge
• Self-immolation, also called “bonzo” is tolerated by some
elements of Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism, and it has been
practiced for many centuries, especially in India, for various
reasons, including Sati, political protest, devotion, and
renouncement
• Thích Quảng Đức, and many others, immolated themselves in
protest of the discriminatory treatment endured by Buddhists
under the Roman Catholic administration of President Ngô Đình
Diệm in South Vietnam — even though violence against oneself
is prohibited by most interpretations of Buddhist doctrine.
• Back
“Stand Up For Tibet”
“Tibet Burning”
“as a Political Tool”
Pol Pot’s communist Khmer
Rouge committed genocide
against 20% of Cambodia’s
population
Religion vs. Religion
• Religious Wars in Ireland
– Catholic Republic of Ireland
– Protestant Northern Ireland
• Protestants (58%) discriminate
against Catholic minority (42%)
• Catholics resist persecution and seek
reunification w/ Ireland
• Religious Wars in the Middle East
– Crusades – Christians vs. Muslims
– Jews vs. Muslims in Palestine
Religions face off in Jerusalem
The Western Wall (Wailing Wall) is
the only remaining portion of Second
Temple on the site of the original
temple built by King Solomon in
1000 B.C.E.
The Temple Mount contains The Dome of the Rock
where Muhammad ascended to heaven, and Abraham
prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.
Some 230,000 Israelis live in 145
settlements in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip, not including the scores of illegal
outposts which Israel had promised the
United States it would dismantle.
Currently 59% of the West
bank is officially under Israeli
civil and security control.
Another 23% of it is under
Palestinian civil control, but
Israeli security control. The
remainder of the territory is
governed by the Palestinian
National Authority.
Map of Israeli settlements in West Bank
V-P Biden on two-state solution
V-P Biden visits Israel