op-ed

Jake McBee
Op-Ed Revision
The Danger of Radical Religion
Since the beginning of recorded history, mankind has always manifested
the idea of a higher power or greater purpose in life.  Such beliefs led
to what is known as religion.  Today thousands of different religions
exist all over the world with varying practices and beliefs.  Some of the
largest and most widely practiced religions include Islam, Christianity,
Hinduism, and Buddhism.  Ideas behind most religions focus on the idea of
leading a better life than those who simply are driven by human nature.
Although most religions teach about giving hope in a dark world, history
has shown that religion, when used incorrectly, can be one of the most
destructive tools that mankind can use and can become a menace.
The reason that religion has caused so much harm in the history of the
world, is because it is very often used as a proper justification for
violence.  Whether radical terrorism or all out wars, religious
motivations can often be found in the underlying cause.  History proves
the land, money, power, and religion were and still are the main causes
of wars.  Religion seems to be able to motive violence because of how
strongly people believe in them.  In religious wars, nations of people
will war on another because of how strong they feel in there own
righteousness and the inferiority of others.  Religion will unite people
of similar beliefs and drive a wedge between those that differ making it
harder for different cultures and groups of people to coexist.  
Some of the most prominent religious based wars in history are the
Crusades.  These wars were fought because the European nations of
Christendom wished to reclaim the holy city of Jerusalem from the Muslims
who occupied it.  Several bloody wars were fought and thousands upon
thousands of lives were lost as Jerusalem changed hands between the
Muslims and the Christians.  All this was motivated by both religions
believing that they had the write to claim a city with religious
significance to both of them. 
During the Protestant Reformation in Europe, the Roman Catholic Church
executed thousands of people who were in the movement that disagreed with
them.  Protestants were burned alive just because they disagreed with the
Catholic church and wanted to spread a new kind of religion.  Its very
ironic how a religion that teaches peace and longsuffering, such as
Christianity, can so easily be twisted by radicals to where the common
person believe that the torture and burning of innocent civilians was not
only the will of God, but also the right thing to do.
Today, the most obvious example of religious violence are the violent
actions of the radical Muslim movement.  As with Christianity, the true
religion of Islam, as it even says in the Quarn, teaches peace and how it
is wrong to murder.  But today, Islam is the most violent religion in the
world.  Terrorists and suicide bombers, whether justified or not, believe
that by killing those who are heathens (anyone who is not Muslim) they
are carrying out the will of God (Allah).  Radical Muslim warfare
includes such horrors as torture, beheadings, and suicide bombings.  Many
suicide bombings are carried out by women and young children.  Although
Christianity is often targeted, Islamic terrorists will destroy any other
beliefs that do not coincide with there own.  Islamic Terrorism is not
motivated by money or power or land.  The actions of these terrorists is
purely motivated by extreme religious beliefs.  By claiming to be working
the will of Allah, terrorist acts are more accepted and are not always
looked on as murder by others of similar religious beliefs. 
Most religions teach people how to live better more meaningful lives and
how to make the world a better place.  But based on the trail of
destruction that religion has left throughout past and present history,
one must wonder if perhaps different religions do more harm than good.
Without the different religious separating cultures, people, and beliefs,
the people of the world could quite possibly have found a way that we
could all get along together and live in peace.

#7

I would use it to post opinions and try to get some web traffic of pissed off people.