ASC211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Moral Authority, Waco Siege, Peacebuilding
Deakin University ASC211 Religion and Social Change Trimester One 2018
Week Seven – Religion, Violence and Peacebuilding
Religion at the turn of the 21st Century
• Despite predictions of religions decline, a global resurgence of religion occurred in the late 20th
century
• Typically viewed as a regressive reaction against the spread of Western secularism and
modernity due to process of globalisation
• Alternatively viewed as empowering movements, some peaceful others violent, advocating
social change
• Religions have a long history of creating and remedying social problems
• Religions - promote cultures of violence and cultures of violence and cultures of peace - direct
and structural
Religion and Globalisation
• Globalisation is creating a world that is at once more unified and fragmented
• Western secular modernity is typically posited as the source of global religious grievances and
thereby the underlying cause of the resurgence of religion and the rise of religious violence
Religion and Violence
• Prevalent view that religion in it's pure form advocates only peace
• "Politically misused" in conflicts and wars
• However there must be religious predisposition towards conflict otherwise could not be misused
• "Mutually superiority claims" render "mutual suppression"
• Justifies violence to protect or defend religion from outside threats - 'holy wars'
• Conviction of undertaking a holy duty and its corresponding adsence of guilt or moral dilemma
makes religious violence particularly dangerous and problematic
'Cosmic War'
• 'Life struggles' are emerged with cosmic struggles
• Cause is sacralised - violence becomes legitimised
• Enemies are demonised and dehumanised
• Proclaim that its proponents will be ultimately victorious and rewarded
• Martyrdom offers hope and restores pride to the suffering and oppressed
• The triumph sought by cosmic war over forces of evil is one that is not easily abandoned
Examples of Religion and Violence
• Anti-Abortion movements – 1970s onward – murders of doctors and bombings of clinics
• The Lords ‘esistance Army – since 1980s – Africa - terror, murder, human right violations
• Al-Qaeda – terrorist organisation – since 1980s – Sept 11 2001
• Waco siege 1993 - The Branch Davidians – apocalyptic - sexual abuse, firearms, drugs - fire death of 76
people
• Oklahoma City terrorist bombings 1995 –in response to Waco – 168 people died
• Au “hirikō - 1995 gas attack in Tokyo subway
• Heaes Gate- 1997 – mass suicide 39 people to reach alien craft
• Boko Haram – 2002 – West Africa – terrorism – linked to Al-Qaeda & IS
• Historically - Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh – acts of terror
• New religious movements – religious influences
Ambivalence of Religion
Religions can be:
• Hierarchical
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Justifies violence to protect or defend religion from outside threats - "holy wars" makes religious violence particularly dangerous and problematic. Trimester one 2018: patriarchal, have texts that legitimized discrimination and direct or structural violence, paradoxical holy (cid:449)ar(cid:863) a(cid:374)d the (cid:862)pea(cid:272)ea(cid:271)le ki(cid:374)gdo(cid:373)(cid:863) (cid:894)bouldi(cid:374)g 1(cid:1013)(cid:1012)6(cid:895) All concurrently justify violence and war when threatened (schmidt-leukel 2004) Ambivalent role in perpetuating cultures of violence and cultures of peace (appleby 2003; They are (cid:272)apa(cid:271)le of pro(cid:448)idi(cid:374)g the ideologi(cid:272)al resources for an alternative view of public order (juergensmeyer 2003) Religious peacebuilding: provides methodologies for personal and collective peace realization, advocates the need for transforming a self-centered, adversarial individualism or group dynamics into. Jewish-christian relations post wwii: buddhist-christian-jewish post hiroshima and nagasaki, anti-terrorism post 9/11 2001, economic risks post gfc. Indigenous and asian religions ecological crises 1980s onward. Interfaith youth movement ifyc and interaction: religions and refugee rights, religions and support for gay marriage, religion and ecology initiatives, education about religions and worldviews.
