It would be foolish to pretend that religion has not been involved in wars. To do so would deny much of recorded history. Those who seriously follow Jesus’ words must admit that many acts of hatred and bloodshed have been, and continue, to be committed in His Name.
But we must also admit that many humans don’t need a religious excuse to hate or become involved in war. Over the centuries, anger, greed, lust and envy have all provoked more than their fair share of conflict.
If we want to see the real cause for all the nastiness we do to each other, look no further than our own hearts. Jesus said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man.” Because our hearts are dark, our deeds are dark. So that our hearts might be changed, Jesus came into this world and offered Himself as our ransom. And for those who believe ongoing wars and hatred prove He has failed, His Name and His followers have founded more hospitals, universities and charities, corrected more inequities and social problems than any religion or political philosophy.
Check the Book
“And this is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as He has commanded us. Whoever keeps His commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (The Bible, 1 John 3: 23-24).
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (The Bible, Colossians 3: 17).
