Throughout the ages there have been several main religions to include Christianity, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. There have been wars in the name of religion, as well as massacres for the same reason. However over the last century there has been a shift in ideology, a fracture in religious ideology that have caused multiple subgroups of the originals to form and prosper which have I believe came to be because of multiple wars. “Religion is central to "understanding the war, to understanding why people went to war, what they hoped to achieve through war, and why they stayed at war." Just as important were the long-term religious consequences. The war triggered "a global religious revolution. The details may …show more content…
Rather than wrestling with that unsettling irony, however, all sides rushed to condemn enemy nations as ungodly and to proclaim fellow believers as de facto infidels” (McKenzie).
“Russians denounced Germany's Kaiser Wilhelm as the Antichrist. English bishops informed their countrymen that they were God's "predestined instruments to save the Christian civilization of Europe." Americans were not immune from such ideology. They learned that God was summoning them to war against Germany, calling on them "to grapple in deadly strife with this unholy and blasphemous power” (McKenzie).
If we focus on the short-term and concentrate on Europe, the conflict's impact seems disastrous. Russia, in 1914, was home to nearly one quarter of the world's Christians; the Bolshevik Revolution and the ensuing murderous upheaval nearly obliterated the Orthodox Church. Germany's dominant Lutheran Church survived, but at the price of compromises with a secular messianic
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For some, the futility and brutality of the lethal conflict destroyed any vestige of faith, while others found refuge in their religion. Often, the pain of war altered, but did not erase, faith. For those on the Home Front, and for the survivors and the bereaved after the war, constant contact with their faith offered some gleam of comfort. Organized religion attempted to rise to the challenge of the war, and tried to meet the social challenges of economic depression and political strife that accompanied the war and its aftermath.
“Although some organizations, such as the Society of Friends (often known as the Quakers) condemned the war, most faith groups gave their support, justifying the cause in sermons and organizing services offering prayers for those with the forces. The European armies often had a close relationship to the established church, and also appointed chaplains (including a small number of Jewish rabbis) to serve the spiritual needs of those in
Politics are often a dividing factor in any government and can cause great schisms among the population. Similarly, religion can also deeply divide a empire with many religions telling different tales of the same God, such as the case of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Conversely, religion can also unite a population under one common belief. All the
In Wikipedia religion is defined“A religion is an organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and worldviews that relate humanity to an order of existence.” There are approximately more than four thousand religion in the world. Christianity and Islam are part of the major significant religion.
Religion also played a major role in soldier’s motivation to enlist, and their conduct on the battlefield. Being surrounded by death and suffering drove many soldiers to turn to religion for help and the hope that they would not be either killed or wounded. The knowledge of salvation and God’s divine power comforted many soldiers in their times of trial by fire, and willed them on into the battles that lay ahead. The effect of religion over soldier’s thoughts was very similar among all Christian soldiers, regardless of whether they were Northern or Southern. Religious fervor led to many soldiers putting complete faith in predestination, letting God take complete control and whatever happens, happens. All in all, soldiers used religion to overcome their fear of death by either believing that God would not allow them get killed
Religion has played a big part of history around the world. Through religion we have learned so much about different cultures, beliefs and Traditions. Some of the religions that we discover in history are still dominate religions until this day. The Christianity and Islam Religion are two of the most practiced religions around the world today. From Christianity and Islam you get Christians and Muslims. The Christians and Muslims during the Crusades have similar and not so similar views on personal virtues and religious practices.
The struggles with faith during the Holocaust World War 2 had cost over 10 million lives. Six million were Jews, who were placed into concentration camps. Over the course of the Holocaust, many Jews had undoubtedly questioned their faith. During such a difficult occurrence, mental strength can be one of the only things that saves you. Some even gave up on God entirely.
Without Hesitation, it was factually evident, through the letters and diaries of soldiers, that “religious belief helped many soldiers overcome the fear of death” . Some were content with the fact that they
Many individuals believe that religion and having faith is what kept some of the Jewish prisoners sane since they have been striped of all they're personal and physical belongings. While in these camps most people threw
How did Black Death and World War II affect religious beliefs in Europe, with a focus on the effects it had on both the Roman Catholic Church and Jews?
The eight wars of religion escalated thought-out 36 years, with intermittent interruptions. The Protestant progressing originated in Northern Europe in the early 16th century. but escalated in the 19th century. It began as a reaction to the Medieval Roman Catholic doctrine and practices. After a procession of European religious wars in the 16th and 17th centuries, and especially in the 19th century, it spread throughout the world. Wherever Protestantism arose, it altered the social, economic, political, and cultural life of the area The wars would end with the Edict of Nantes an edict that ingrained a limited tenacity. Frances struggle with religious turmoil between Catholics and Protestants was an ongoing crisis, however, the Spaniards belief in religion provided vast support to the moral code and allowed the police authoritative power of the state to loosen its grip on the community. History shows that atheistic, totalitarian states used force rather than religion to enforce obedience to government tyranny1 .
“God save the King,” you could see this phrase plastered on propaganda all around the British empire, but this was more than just a simple phrase. This phrase gives a deeper look into the role that religion played in how the war played out. Although often overlooked, religious propaganda transformed the war and impacted how people saw religion in all parts of the world. Consequently, looking at religious propaganda can help to understand World War 1 on a deeper level and help to understand why people took up arms.
The role that religion plays on a solider can be astronomical to the mental and subsequently the physical state of a soldier. When a soldier is on the front line and fighting with their fellow soldiers in a fire fight they need to mentally be present as well as physically for their fellow soldiers. In these cases of being in the thick of the fighting many soldiers turn to their faith, this has a mental effect on them, putting them in a state of mind that gives them a “strength.” This “’strength” could be as little as added confidence in the fight that keeps them grounded or as much as giving them reassurance that if anything happens to them they have a higher power there that will help and comfort them. Religion permeates through the history
Each religion has a different perspective but most important is where the religions generated from. Major religions started in various parts of the world.
During this time minority religions struggled in the German states. Evangelical Christians such as Baptists were not looked well upon, as well as Mennonites who were pacifists and did not believe in serving in the military.
The basis of all of these wars was religious disparity, so one would expect their beliefs to be far removed from one another. However, with the exception of a few, most of these religions have deep similarities in their principles. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are all monotheistic religions, that is, they believe there is only one God. He is the foundation of all that exists; He is merciful and had endowed us with a set of rules for our guidance so that we are all noble and virtuous. These three religions deem that humans are the most supreme creatures on earth and that we are capable of both good and evil. When we extend our righteousness, we are doing what God intended; when we exploit our freedom and hurt others, we are going against the will of God. With God’s help, every being is able to turn away from evil and lead a worthy life. Moreover, these religions are also hopeful about the future. They believe in the
They became the cornerstone of many earlier and later civilizations. Even today many countries, especially those in the Middle East, have religious leaders who work with the government to enact laws and “guide” the spiritual aspect of the lives of their citizens. Unfortunately, with such strong beliefs and convictions can come conflict. This conflict can be on a small scale, such as discrimination against those who don’t share the same beliefs to full-scale war which was the case in the first Crusades. In more recent times we have seen mass genocides of people based in part on religious beliefs such as the annihilation of the Jews during the Second World War. Today we see it played out in acts of terrorism, jihads. Religion is a powerful tool that can be used both to help and enrich the lives of people or used as justification for intolerance against others.