FOR AN ALTERNATIVE READING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RELIGION AND VIOLENCE: THE LIMITS OF ILLUSION AND TRUTH

Abstract

This paper explores the intricate connection between religion and violence within modern global conflicts. It treats violence not as an abstraction but as a lived reality shaped by power struggles and declining peace. Rather than analyzing its forms, the study investigates its roots—especially religious motivations and justifications. Religion, while offering identity and belonging, can also generate division and hostility toward perceived outsiders, sometimes resulting in symbolic or physical aggression. Historical examples such as holy wars illustrate how dogma and fanaticism may link faith with violence. Employing historical, deconstructive, and contextual methods, the paper seeks to move past ideological simplifications to reveal the dual role of religion: as both a source of resistance to violence and a potential contributor to it. Ultimately, it adds depth to academic debates about the boundaries between truth and illusion in interpreting the religion–violence relationship.