To the nominally religious or agnostics or atheists, the thought processes of the devout are often viewed as irrational... at best. But that is because faith is a matter of accepting beliefs that defy proof. Belief is a matter of "knowing" rather than "proving." Our fathers held these beliefs and their fathers before them for a hundred generations. Therefore, no proof is needed.
But what happens when beliefs conflict?
Within the population of believers of a religion, there may are often subtle differences that erupt into major conflict... or become the excuse for underlying power plays.
Islam has its Sunni-Shia split; Christianity has its Catholic-Protestant split.Then there are the religion to religion differences and conflicts.
Jews and Christians; Christians and Muslims; Muslims and Jews... continuous conflicts.Call it territoriality or call it defending beliefs, it boils down to the fact that humans have this need to be right... to own the truth... to have the high ground... to be superior to those not like them.
And religion is the ideal vehicle for being superior to others... the obvious, perfect, unprovable, faith of our fathers.And so it goes.
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