Driven by beliefs as well as material ambitions e.g. land disputes

E.g. the American civil war, north against south, north trying to end slavery - they eventually won

E.g. America after bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki helped to rebuild Japan but to gain them as an ally for the Cold War.

People justified it by saying it was “civilising the people” + “teaching them appropriate ways of living through Christianity”

However by doing this they are disregarding another culture + religion by claiming their own is better - elitist

People may fight against those who have attacked them/may perform a pre-emptive strike
someone declares war against a country which has not yet threatened them directly, but which they believe will threaten them

2003 invasion of Iraq (government believed Iraq had WMDs that could be used against them)

Hindus of the Kshatriya warrior class - duty to fight and protect others if no other course of action was available

Hindus believe if someone becomes violent, ahimsa no longer applies to them - self defence is acceptable

Considered to show countries that they cannot attack another for a bad reason - will suffer consequences

Conflict in Iraq - retaliation attacks on the World Trade Centre

A spiritual reward for those who take part

personal struggle/strive to live properly, overcome obstacles, temptation and to live the life of a good Muslim

on occasion it may be necessary to fight against evil in the world - taking military action to bring about a just society = lesser jihad

The Qur'an and teachings of Muhammad tell Muslims that if all criteria of a lesser jihad are fulfilled then it is their religious duty to fight

any Muslim killed whilst fighting in a lesser Jihad is a martyr and will go straight to paradise

every other way of solving the problem must be tried before resorting to war

protecting Muslims against Oppression, which could include overthrowing a tyrannical ruler

some muslim men, not boys, whose families can cope w/o them

if a town is attacked everyone must fight back - not women and children

if a leader declares war, Muslims have a duty to join an army +fight

Muhammad said one man from each 2 must fight so one can protect the town

"Paradise is for those who curb their anger and forgive their fellow man"

"fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities"

"anyone who fights in God's way, whether killed or victorious, we shall give a great reward"

"therefore if they withdraw from you but fight you not, and (instead) send you (guarantees of) peace, then Allah hath opened no way for you (to war against them)"

to retrieve countries that were once Christian, even though there are no Christians left there

to rescue Christians in countries that were once Christian from "the servitude of the infidels"

recover and purify consecrated places that are presently being "polluted and profaned"

avenge blasphemous acts, or cruelties and killings of Christians (no matter how long ago they were)

"[religion] is one of the few things that's really strong enough to motivate people to do these terrible things" Richard Dawkins

"religion unfortunately provides a useful cover and a powerful motivator for the evil hearted" Woodcock

"without religion you have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, it takes religion" Stephen Weinberg

Roman Empire political aspirations of pope rather than quarrels of Protestants and catholics

not primary motives to war - afterthoughts/ pretexts/ self deluding rationalisations

e.g. Muslim+christian war in Middle East over past thousand years has been about imperial ambition rather than spiritual salvation

most common motivation: opposition to a gov, to economic, ideological, political or social systems of a state

all major religions have an element of 'treat others as you want to be treated' - non violence

western societies misunderstand eastern culture where often religion cannot be separated from politics. So, often 'religious conflict' is political.

most secular countries in the world are not the most peaceful - North Korea

march in response to police shooting of a local man turned to violence and looting

186 police officers, 16 members of public, 5 police dogs injured. 5 people killed

students protesting law that stated they had to be taught in their oppressors' language

turned violent but was a turning point in helping apartheid end

some protests are for future generations to benefit from by helping an immediate issue

protest - an expression of disapproval, often in a public group

peaceful protest allowed, violent protest frowned upon. police in control

Sarah Everard's protests didn't get attention even when they were at the same time as they weren't violent

denominations of Christianity e.g. quakers - absolute pacifism

both think violent protest is acceptable in certain situations except some denominations of Christianity

the unlawful use of violence, usually against innocent civilians, to achieve an ideological goal

"the purpose of terrorism lies not just in the violent act itself. it is in producing terror. it sets out to inflame, to divide, to produce consequences which they then use to justify terror" Tony Blair

"Acts intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organisation to do or abstain from doing an act" UN Security Council

used non violent tactics e.g. strikes + demonstrations to protest apartheid with the ANC

In 1952 Mandela helped escalate the struggle as a leader of the Defiance campaign, which encouraged black participants to actively violate laws

launched armed movements and ask for help from foreign governments

charged with sabotage, treason + violent conspiracy. admitted to many charges and eloquently defended militant activities during trial.

Mandela was christian but never revealed much about that tying into his work

smashed glass, acid in letterboxes, window smashing of gov buildings

not terrorists as non violent protest only, although it broke laws

convinced federal gov to enforce federal laws for the integration of interstate travel

radiation meant that pregnant women had difficulties with birth - deformities+cancer

relative/selective pacifism - no engagement in military activity in certain circumstances

"returning violence for violence multiplies violence" Martin Luther King

when a Christian's private morality supersedes their obligations to the state they make a conscientious objection

men in ww2 refusing to go to war+bear arms - called cowards

taught pacifism at first but then realised Hitler wasn't going to listen to peaceful protests

"christians are, therefore, faced with a dilemma: when assaulted by evil, they must oppose it through direct action. They have no other option. Any failure to act is simply to condone evil.