Basileia Vol.

I, October 2008

violence and then show their unspiritual nature

ANATOMY of and irrational procedure in the assertion of faith.

RE LIGIOUS E PISTE MIC BASE S OF RE LIGIOUS

VIOLE NCE

VIOLE NCE By “epistemic bases” is meant the grounds for

believing that religious violence is right.
Analytically, all sanction for religious violence is

T
he history of religion has been a seriously based on authority. I used the word “analytically”
blood-bathed one. It reveals the intense because the word “sanction” itself implies sanction
power, weight, and depth of religion within by some authority. There is no rational principle
the human heart. No wonder, the word for religious violence. There may be one for justice
“religion” itself comes from the Latin religare and retribution but not for religious violence. On
meaning “to bind”. Religion binds the adherent to the other hand, one may look to instinct or
its belief, authority, and community. It holds an emotion as the psychological basis for violence.
intense power over the individual. Of course, there However, such psychological sources of violence
are several instances of religious faith opening cannot be the sources of theories sanctioning
itself to philosophical dialogues and investigations religious violence; therefore, though instinct or
in the past. However, it is a fact undeniable that emotion may be reactionary sources of violence
much of religious faith is a matter of faith alone they cannot be considered to be the epistemic
and not rational discussion. Therefore, they have basis for religiously justifiable violence. In fact, no
the potential to invite physical religious authority ever
opposition by not submitting to There is no rational principle for sanctions the unreflective
any force of logic. That is why religious violence. obedience to the passion of
in some cases words are emotion. The epistemic basis is,
silenced by blows – with the sanction of some therefore, neither reason nor experience, but it is
religious authority. religious authority in the form of religious
tradition, leader, or scripture.
Religious violence may be defined as violence
committed in the name of religion. It is both intra-
religious violence and inter-religious violence; i.e. Political Allegiance through Religious
violence within the group and violence against Allegiance
other groups. It must be differentiated from
communal violence, apartheid, and religio-political In the Roman persecution of Christians in early
violence, i.e. political violence in a religious garb. Church history, the authority was chiefly political.
While communal violence and the like are more a The persecution of Christians was mainly because
matter of cultural differences, communal feelings, they were suspected of working against the State.
and dehumanizing theories; religious violence is Their allegiance to the State was examined by
exclusively related to a clash between religious asking them to deny Christ and sacrifice to the
beliefs, religious sentiments, and religious gods for the well-being of the king, failing which
practices. A religious community may suddenly get they were punished.1 This reveals the epistemic
infuriated at some other religious community and bias of judgment; that an individual’s allegiance to
commit violence; however, this kind of violence any God should not be above the state or against
should not be termed as religious unless it is any decree of the king.
committed in the name of religion alone – i.e. in Later, however, when E mperor Decius assumed
recognition (true or false) of some authoritative control in 249 Christians began to be persecuted
religious basis for doing it. In this essay, we will
analyze some theories that authorize religious 1 John E . Booty, The Church in History (New York: Seabury

Press, 1979), pp. 150-151.

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Basileia Anatomy of Religious Violence

and punished for failing to show their respect and Kunti (Arjuna), though in an
allegiance to the Roman gods through offerings to unauthorized way (IX. 23).
them. The assumption was that anyone who had
no respect for the Roman gods could also have no Notice that Krishna calls the other ways of
respect for the government that honored these worship as “unauthorized” or, as one version says,
gods. Therefore, Christians who did not offer to “not according to ordinance.”3 Still, those ways are
the gods were singled out as traitors of the acceptable to him. However, though the ways of
E mpire. In modern secular politics, however, with worship may be different, such differences and
the separation of religion from state such criteria relativity is not allowed in matters of dharma or
of allegiance no longer exist. However, there is personal duty; for all personal duty (primarily of
always the danger of fundamentalist tendencies caste) is by divine ordinance. Thus, when Arjuna,
gaining root to the extent that the political the archer, is saddened by the thought of having to
guarantee of religious freedom is lost. kill his cousins in the war, Krishna shows the
irrationality of all such grief by teaching him the
gist of what he claims to be true dharma. One
Dharma and Violence quickly notices in the early part of the Gita the
common-sense teleological ethics of Arjuna in
The concept of religion in popular Hinduism is
contradiction to Krishna’s view of true morality or
captured in the word dharma. Dharma means duty
dharma. Krishna explains to him that his grief over
or righteousness (or being true to what one ought
having to kill someone is unfounded since death is
to be). Dharma includes among many things the never a final event. The phenomena of slayer,
practice of truth, justice, caste-duty, and spiritual
slaying, and slain is not real in the ultimate sense;
discipline. In modern times, however, dharma is
since the self is neither born nor does it ever die; it
often used for “religion”. But many Hindus still
only changes bodies at death and rebirth as people
don’t see an infrastructural difference between change clothes (II. 19-23), phenomenally speaking
world religions and consider the essence of
but in its true sense it is unmanifest, birthless, and
religion to be dharma (observance of what is one’s
immutable. Arjuna must do his own duty
right). That is why, Hinduism is considered to be a
(swadharma) which evidently in this case is
pluralistic religion. Its pluralism is expressed by
Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita2 in the following
words: Dharma means duty, righteousness, or being
By whatever way men worship Me, true to what one ought to be
even so do I accept them; for, in all
punishing the wicked. The caste-duty (varnashrama
ways, O Partha, men walk in My path
dharma) of a kshatriya was to vanquish the foes of
(IV. 11).
righteousness. The Gita never promotes religious
Whatever form a particular devotee violence in the sense of persecuting other religions;
wishes to worship with faith – however, it does sanction violence against
concerning that alone I make his faith downright wickedness as a religious duty with a
unflinching. (VII. 21). justification based on pantheism and the
immortality of the soul.
However, this liberalism is not without its
restrictions; for it is soon qualified by Krishna’s The Command to Defend
claims to his own exclusivity.
The Koran declares Allah as the All Sovereign and
E ven those devotees of other gods Merciful one (Sura V. 39, 40). Therefore, he
who worship (them) endowed with forgives those he chooses to forgive and punishes
faith, worship Me alone, O son of
3S.E . Frost, Jr. (ed.), The Sacred Writings of the World’s Great
2Bhagavad Gita, trans. Swami Vireswarananda (Madras: Sri Religions (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1972), p.
Ramakrishna Math, 1974). 58

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Basileia Vol. I, October 2008

those he chooses to punish as it says: “Unto Allah The injunctions are clear: those who war against
belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and Allah are to be destroyed and those who repent are
whatsoever is in the earth. He forgiveth whom He to be accepted as brethren. One knows of the
will, and punisheth whom He will. Allah is many atrocities committed by kings like
Forgiving, Merciful” (Sura III. 129).4 In other Aurangazeb who wanted to establish the Islamic
words, since God is Sovereign religion. But there are also examples
Lord, He may forgive whom He ISLAM: of those like Akbar and the Sufi
will and punish whom He will. Since God is Sovereign saints who looked for peace and
The condition for forgiveness is, and Merciful, He may tolerance rather than snatch away
however, belief. Unbelief is forgive whom He will and from others their religious freedom.
intolerable by God with such punish whom It is evident that all methods of
severity that believers (Muslims) He will conversion by force are only, at the
are commanded to fight and most, externally efficient. They
destroy the unbelievers till they are all destroyed or can’t affect the internal soul. But while self-
converted, although they are also to be judged in defence is justifiable seeing that one has also the
the Day of Resurrection. In fact, violence in Islam obligation to care for his own body, yet it is wrong
originally began as a means of self-defense and as a to inflict pain on anyone just because of his faith.
response to the unabated religious persecution by Truth is never in need of violence unless it is in
the people of Mecca. Seeing that such persecution danger of being violently destroyed. However,
is only detrimental to Islam, the Koran declares: truth cannot be violently destroyed because it is
“fight them until persecution is no more, and founded in the nature of God Himself and no one
religion is all for Allah” (Sura VIII. 39). The fight can destroy God. At the end, all things will be
against unbelievers, however, is merciless against brought to judgment and consummation.
those who do not convert. Accordingly it says, Therefore, the Bible tells us not to take vengeance,
for vengeance belongs to the Lord.
The only reward of those who make
war upon Allah and His messenger and The Command to Love
strive after corruption in the land will
be that they will be killed or crucified, The New Testament is straightly against violence,
or have their hands and feet on except when it is justly executed by a civil
alternate sides cut off, or will be government, in accordance to the Law of God
expelled out of the land. Such will be (Rom. 13: 1-5). However, religious violence is
their degradation in the world, and in never endorsed by Christ for political purposes. It
the Hereafter theirs will be an awful was biblically untrue for the Church in the past to
doom (Sura V. 33). unite with political leadership and punish those
who it considered to be heretics. The Crusades are
Then, when the sacred months have a dark spot on the history of Christianity.
passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye However, they lack an epistemological foundation
find them, and take them (captive), and in God’s revelation through His Word. It was
besiege them, and prepare for them during the Reformation that the evil of the
each ambush. But if they repent and Church’s uniting with political leadership to
establish worship and pay the poor- persecute the true Christians was observed. Luther
due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah differentiated between the kingdom of the world
is Forgiving, Merciful (Sura IX. 5). and the kingdom of God and made room for just
rebellion against evil government when they
violated God’s Laws.
The Beatitude says: “Blessed are those who are
4The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, trans. M. M. Pickthall (New persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is
Delhi: Islamic Book Service, 1992). All quotations from the the kingdom of God” (Matt. 5: 10). The contrast
Koran, unless specified, are taken from this translation. between Krishna and Christ is stark here. While

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Basileia Anatomy of Religious Violence

Krishna calls those blessed that persecute others comparable in humanity or personal
for righteousness’ sake; Christ said that it is not the dignity to those who do the labeling.
inflictors but the sufferers of persecution for Prejudice employs negative stereotypes
righteousness’s sake who will be rewarded. For the in images or verbally abusive terms to
strength of the belief is not measured by the ability demean and degrade the objects of its
to hunt people down but by the commitment to narrow view of superiority over these
live for it and die for it. Thus, though permitting allegedly inferior persons.
violence in accordance to the justification of moral Discrimination involves the actions
governments for establishing justice in society, the taken against those others based on the
ultimate end of all relationships according to beliefs and emotions generated by
Christ is the Love of God. He Himself is our prejudiced perspectives.6
example who chose to suffer rather take revenge
on His enemies. He doesn’t take the law into His Dehumanization is only possible where love for
own hands until the Father permits it. For, though one’s neighbor doesn’t exist. However, while
Christ is our Savior, He will also return as Judge of earthly philosophies are not opposed to hatred for
both the living and the dead. the enemy – even torture of him, Jesus teaches us
to love our enemies and pray for them; because it
Thus, we have seen two kinds of epistemic bases: is hatred that dehumanizes any individual or
politico-religious relationship and scriptural community and discriminates against them. Love
authority. accepts the fact of being in opposition (it doesn’t
suppress it) but it refuses to let such opposition
PSYCHOLOGICAL DIME NSION transform its perspective into prejudice and hateful
discrimination.
Modern psychological research has shown that
authoritative devaluation of any human through
dehumanization and deindividuation can lead to Dehumanization and deindividuation
severe crime in society. Contrary to the anarchists (removal of individual identity) can lead to
severe crime in society
who say that man rules and is ruled best when left
to himself alone with nature; psychological One another psychological influence is mass
research has shown that by demeaning someone, suggestion where deindividuation gathers high
treating people as anonymous or by treating them tones. Riots and majority ruling influence people
as less than humans, violent emotions and actions to join gang of persecutors in their evil acts; in
against them can be evoked.5 Propaganda through such mob-feeling, conscience is set aside. Further,
literature, billboards, advertisements, secret propaganda and false testimonies lead to enrage
meetings, etc are ways in which indoctrination people in such direction.
regarding falsehood occurs. The brute extent of it
was witnessed during World War II in the Nazi
concentration camps. Obviously, the Nazi tortures CH RISTIANITY AND RE LIGIOUS
were not confessedly religious; however, they at VIOLE NCE
least tell how dehumanization can bring a change
E vidently, the Old Testament cannot always be
in the character of man. Professor Philip
seen as supportive of religious tolerance. For
Zimbardo of Stanford University, who has done
instance, the Law of Moses stipulated death
intensive research on the psychology of evil,
penalty for idolatry and witchcraft, for breaking
writes:
the Ten Commandments, and for dishonoring
At the core of evil is the process of God (Lev. 24: 16). But this was only binding on
dehumanization by which certain other those who were considered to be the members of
people or collectives of them, are
depicted as less than human, as non
6“The Lucifer E ffect by Philip Zimbardo”
(www.lucifereffect.com).
5 www.zimbardo.com & www.prisonxp.org

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Basileia Vol. I, October 2008

the Covenant. Neither the Old Testament nor the truth of one’s faith in the Gospel and in the love
New Testament allows any persecution of other and justice of God. The Scripture exhorts us to
religions in the name of religion. bless our enemies and pray for those who
persecute us (Matt. 5: 44). Jesus came not to
The Bible indicates in 1 Timothy 2: 1, 2 that if
punish the wicked but to save the sinners.
people are not able to live a quiet and peaceable
However, man is accountable for his every word
life in all godliness and honesty, then a great part
and deed at the final Day of Judgment. The
of it is due to the failure of civil governments to
believer, truly, is not frightened by anything for he
comply with the moral government of God. The
walks not in agitation but in faith, hope, and love.
word for honesty is semnotes in the Greek and also
means “dignity” and “honor”. Obviously, in a state
where religious violence is rampant the dignity and References
honor of the citizens is lost through Bhagavad Gita, trans. Swami Vireswarananda
dehumanization. Therefore, Christians are called (Madras: Sri Ramakrishna Math, 1974).
for to pray for the government so that there may Booty, John E . The Church in History, New York:
be peace and order in the state. Seabury Press, 1979.
We also learn from the life of Jesus and the Frost, Jr. S.E . (ed.) The Sacred Writings of the World’s
apostles that religious persecution must be avoided Great Religions, New York: McGraw-Hill Book
as far as possible. For instance, Jesus tells His Company, 1972.
disciple to leave any city which as a whole refuses The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, trans. M. M.
Christ’s message and starts persecuting the Pickthall, New Delhi: Islamic Book Service, 1992.
messengers (Lk. 9: 5; cp. Acts 13: 51). Jesus
Himself avoided unnecessary falling into the

In a state where religious violence is Selected Glossary:

rampant the dignity and honor of the
citizens is lost through dehumanization.
Dehumanization – process or procedure of
Therefore, Christians are called for to pray
divesting humans of their human identity, dignity,
for the government so that there may be
peace and order in the state. and rights.
Deindividuation – process or procedure of
enemy’s traps (Matt. 4: 12; Lk. 4: 30). Similarly, removing individual identity and individuality;
Paul escaped once through a basket when people thus, creating a sense of anonymity.
were in wait for him, was prevented by the E pistemic – epistemological or that which is
disciples from getting beaten by a crazy mob, and related to the problem of knowledge.
took measures to inform the authority of a group Individualism – philosophy that emphasizes
of Jewish fanatics who had vowed to not eat till individual worth, rights, and specific identity apart
they killed him (Acts 9: 25; 19: 30; 23: 17-21). He from society.
also used his Roman citizenship as a privilege to Secularism - philosophical ideology that stresses,
prevent unnecessary torture, to appeal to the especially, the separation of science and politics
highest court of justice, i.e. to Caesar, and to get from religious dominance.
people understand that they cannot just by-pass Secularization – process by which society is freed
laws to persecute the minority (Ac. 16: 35-40; 22: from absolute dominance of religion or the
25; 25: 11). Thus, it is obvious that the Bible supernatural.
desires Christians to be rational in their conduct of
life, seeing that the Bible does allow the avoidance
of persecution if it is possible.

But in any case the Scripture forbids vengeance

(Rom. 12: 19). Trials do show the strength of the

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