Religion and War

Many historians have studied the connection between war and religion with its diverse manifestations. The major faiths of the world, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, as well as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Daoism, have addressed the issue of violence and war, sometimes contradictorily. Religion today is understood as a personal matter and preference. However, in early agrarian societies, property was the main source of wealth, and groups often fought over land and over slaves to do the heavy work. In these early societies, religion was usually integrated into most of its family and social aspects. As societies developed, warfare became increasingly related to the sacred, and pantheons of gods included divinities in charge of war. Scriptures also developed lineaments or codes for war, such as heroic stories, ...