Religious Wars

This is one of the only points where I believe I might be able to relate to athiesm, or athiests. I hate religious wars and religious persecutions. Am I correct in saying that there has never been a religious war waged by Hindus? I couldn't find anything on one, and it wouldn't suprises me if there has never been one instigated by them. As far as I can see they have only ever defended themselves, and preached acceptance and peace.

Well, no proper war. But hindus did reltaliate, and sadly, killed many Muslims in Gujarat.

Godhra Riots.

This was sad. A muslim in my little village (barely 10 miles SF) was driven out his home. Heartbreaking. Lest not forget that muslims (as usual) provoked this attack. I strongly comdenmn it. Although i was about...7 when it happend. Im 13 right now.

There have been religious wars waged by Hindus actually there has never been any religious war waged by Buddhists unless defending ourselves counts, mostly because we don't care about religion whatever floats your boat were all for it.

Somkid said:

There have been religious wars waged by Hindus actually there has never been any religious war waged by Buddhists unless defending ourselves counts, mostly because we don't care about religion whatever floats your boat were all for it.

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I wondered about that too. That doesn't suprise me either...(i like buddhism too...all the stuff about suffering was a little freaky at first). If you have time do you have any info on what wars were instigated by hindus? I know to seperate the religions from the actions of the people of course, but I'm just curious. Any religious leaders that can stay out of waging war, even for the most part, deserves a big :clapand a few cookies and frubals n stuff.

Somkid said:

There have been religious wars waged by Hindus actually there has never been any religious war waged by Buddhists unless defending ourselves counts, mostly because we don't care about religion whatever floats your boat were all for it.

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I am not trying to argue here Som, but can you tell me about those wars? If you mean the Rajput/Mughal wars, then those really dont count.

This is a good link to Hindu wars.

Hindunet: The Hindu Universe: HOLY AND UNHOLY WARS UNDER HINDUISM

As far as Buddhism goes as I said Buddhists have never had a "holy war" in the name of Buddhism that is not to say Buddhist countries have never fought. Thailand and Burma are prime examples of warring Buddhist countries the city I live in has great walls and gates from a 1000 years ago to keep the Burmese out but that was political not religious as both sides are the same exact kind of Buddhists.

Actually if I remember correctly Lozang Gyatso waged a war against a rival sect of Vajranya Buddhist with the Mongols.

I remember a few years ago seeing a picture on the BBC of Buddhists monks in Sri Lanka on a demonstration AGAINST the peace process with the Tamils!

sadly ALL religions are made up of human beings and therefore subject to human failings. No religion is exempt.

It also seems to me that every religion is getting a more intolerant, aggressive, assertive element to it. We now read about Hindu extremism with hostility towards people of other faiths. I am sure this may often be provoked by the other faith, but I doubt it is always.

Are we going through an age of religious intolerance? It seems sad, since all the major religions were founded on the teachings of love, compassion and tolerance.

the lesson I gain from that is to try to attach to the teaching, not to the religion otherwise oyu can be dragged down by the divisiveness of the labels. If i think of myself as Hindu then I will tend to identify with other Hindus, and not identify with non Hindus.......and the same is true of all other faiths.

I am on a spiritual journey. Anyone on the same journey I like to identify with, be they of any faith, or none,

Perhaps some of these things are true I don't know for sure what I do know is there has never been a war fought in the name of Buddhism that is to say to convert people to Buddhism or fight against people because they were not Buddhist.

1 of the 5 basics Buddhist Vinayas:

NO killing of sentient beings

There are many examples/stories of Bhodissatvas and realized people of the past giving their lifes for sentient beings of all kinds.

Because of this particular Vinaya yuo will find very little physical conflict because of Buddhism.

Hindu military science recognizes two kinds of warfare - the dharmayuddha and the kutayuddha. Dharmayuddha is war carried on the principles of dharma, meaning here the Ksatradharma or the law of Kings and Warriors. In other words, it was a just and righteous war which had the approval of society. On the other hand, kuttayuddha was unrighteous war.
source
Hindu Wisdom - War in Ancient India

One question I just thought of, which was, in a way the reason I started this thread:
Christianity seems to have an awfully violent history, beginning of course with crucifixions. You know, there were all kinds of wars, the spanish inquisistion, the witch hunts etc. I have always seen christian history as topping the list of the "violent/ psychotic." Islam seem to be right up there with christianity as far as the violence goes. Go figure the main difference is the crucifixtion of Christ. They have enough similarities. Jesus is still a high prophet according to Islam, they just see Muhamad as The Prophet.
Why do these two seem to just breed extremism and psychoticness?? I know that people are stupid and some can make anything extreme and crazy, but it just seems to happen to people the most with christianity and Islam. I mean heck, my professor told us that in the quaran the word jihad can be translated to mean external or internal war. So there is the "excuse" for the nuts in that religion, but what excuse do christian nuts have for thier crazy atrocities?
Is this an equal-across-the-board thing? Or am I right that most are in these two religious denominations?

btw....as far as actual teaching/ doctrine/ scripture/ most adherants/ I am hard pressed to find things I do not like. So don't take that the wrong way. I consider myself christian for the most part, but I am reading the Quaran right now, my Dad is Wiccan so I lean there a lot, and I have studied most religions at least a little. The stupidity of commiting atrocities, and killing, and torturing in the name of anything Divine just blows my mind.

Your not the only one.

kai said:

Hindu military science recognizes two kinds of warfare - the dharmayuddha and the kutayuddha. Dharmayuddha is war carried on the principles of dharma, meaning here the Ksatradharma or the law of Kings and Warriors. In other words, it was a just and righteous war which had the approval of society. On the other hand, kuttayuddha was unrighteous war.
source
Hindu Wisdom - War in Ancient India

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Society's approval does not automatically assume that society's knowledge is dharmic.

However, I would say that the vast majority of Hindu wars waged in the name of Hinduism were very much in defense of the religion as seen during the Middle Ages during the invasions of the Muslims.

Somkid said:

Hindunet: The Hindu Universe: HOLY AND UNHOLY WARS UNDER HINDUISM

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I'm surprised you decided to post this without checking the source. The author is Muslim and clearly biased against Hinduism and the Hindu case. His comment about the RSS and its great representation is silly in addition to being downright wrong - in fact, the RSS often complain about how the Indian government and media criticize them far too often!

He continues to "elaborate" upon his point by quoting vague sources (he references only chapters of the Mahabharata and not specific verses allowing him to make gross generalities and false accusations) and asserts that Krishna is the culprit of Hindu militarism, when in fact he lead two peace proposals to prevent the Mahabharat war to begin with!

It's a bad source and I'm disappointed that you decided to post it.

As early as as the 4th century B.C. Megasthenes noticed a peculiar trait of Indian warfare.
"Whereas among other nations it is usual, in the contests of war, to ravage the soil and thus to reduce it to an uncultivated waste, among the Indians, on the contrary, by whom husbandmen are regarded as a class that is sacred and inviolable, the tillers of the soil, even when battle is raging in their neighborhood, are undisturbed by any sense of danger, for the combatants on either side in waging the conflict make carnage of each other, but allow those engaged in husbandry to remain quite unmolested. Besides, they never ravage an enemy's land with fire, nor cut down its trees."

(source: A Brief History of India - By Alain Danielou p. 106).

That is nice, Pariah. Are you still around?