by L.B. Woodgate

Created on: November 24, 2009

Suffering the affects of religious extremism

Religions tend to fail human needs when they leave the spiritual domain that they arose from. As an aspect of what we are as humans, a spiritual sense needs to be satisfied. And though the physical and metaphysical can perhaps coexist with each other neither can, nor should they, dominate the other. East is east and West is west, to analogize the concept. The belief that unseen spiritual forces manipulate our tangible, physical existence creates a dilemma for universal acceptance. This ominous conclusion is evident in the existence of so many faith systems that serve mankind.

When one tries to declare its superiority over others by virtue of its spiritual beliefs, the consequences will always have negative results. The inevitability becomes where there is a preponderance of people that are adherents to some religious faith systems, amongst them are those who perpetuate global conflicts that the rest of us have to suffer through. Based on personal hard-line views religious extremists fight for footing in their sphere of influence to gain acceptance but in so doing create a force of destruction for too many innocent bystanders. Such has been the case throughout man's history. But now, the concept of "spiritual warfare" outside its domain has two of the world's largest religions, whose contentious pursuit of asserting their dominance over each other, have elevated hate and a resulting destructive determination that threatens the secular world.

Within Christianity there is a sacred duty to convert the rest of the world to their global view believing as they do that such a mandate comes directly from the divine Creator they attribute their very existence to. This notion is attributed to the "Great Commission" found in Matthew 28: 19-20 where Jesus asserts his Godly authority and tells his followers to "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you". However there is nothing in Christian scriptures that validates this commission to be carried out through the use of deadly force. Sadly many died during the Crusades and the Inquisition before this became the excepted norm

For Muslims, there is no similar scriptural teaching. In fact it's opposite can be found in Qur'an Surah 2 verse 256 "There is no compulsion in religion." And yet there exists what some consider are radical beliefs amongst

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