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. 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

Religion vs. Govt. / Econ. Modernization

• 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.

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.

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.

Map of Israeli settlements in West Bank

V-P Biden on two-state solutionV-P Biden visits Israel