Introduction
Religion is the belief in and worship of a
superhuman controlling power. It could also be define as a set of beliefs
concerning the cause , nature and purpose of the universe especially when
considered as creation. In other words, Religion is a belief in and reverence
for a supernatural power regarded as creator and governor of the universe.
There are different Religions in our contemporary
society. We have Judaism, Hinduism, Zorontrianism, Buddhism, Confucianism,
Jainism, Taoism, Christianity, Islam, Sikhism, Mithraism and many others; some
of them would be briefly explained in the main work.
We would also discuss the importance and features of
Religion
Conflict, on the other hand can be described as a disagreement
among groups or individuals characterized by antagonism and hostility. It could
also mean a disagreement or argument about something
important.
Conflict is classified into six types namely; Interpersonal
conflict which is also called Man against man, Intrapersonal conflict also
called Man against self, Intragroup conflict, Intergroup conflict, Man against
Society, and Man against nature.
In this book, we would find the origin, types and
causes of conflict.
CHAPTER
ONE
Origin of the term Religion
The word
“Religion” is of Latin origin. It is derived from two Latin words: Religio
and Nem. Religio means
sacredness, piety or fear of the supernatural. nem on the other hand means to
hold together, to bind or to fasten. It is from these two words that the term
Religion is derived and used to represent a binding relationship between the
human self and some supernatural forces or ultimate realities which man feels
dependent upon for some benefits he will derive from the supernatural. It
represents the coming together of a group which is bound by a common feeling of
dependence on a particular object or subjects believed to be more powerful than
man.
1.1
Concept
of Religion
The term ‘Religion’ is viewed by different
people in different perspectives. It could mean one thing to me and another
thing to someone else. The psychologist would have a different opinion about
it, so also the sociologist, anthropologist and even the philosopher.
A
number of modern scholars of religion have commented on the difficulty of
defining what religion is. Over the centuries, influential thinkers have
offered their own definitions, with greater or lesser degrees of assurance, but
virtually all of these definitions have been found wanting by the majority of
scholars. In some cases the definitions are too narrow, defining religion in
terms of the speaker's religious beliefs or those of his or her culture and
tending to exclude the religious beliefs of other cultures. Some of them seem
to argue that religion is more a socially acquired characteristic of human
life. In other cases the definitions are so vague and inclusive that they do
not sufficiently delimit religion from other areas of human thought (Erik 2011)
There
are several problems in trying to make a definition of religion that is not
overly vague and general, but that still is careful to not leave out any of the
beliefs and practices that seem religious to most intelligent people. By their
nature, religious beliefs tend to motivate other aspects of human behavior
beyond those which would strictly be considered to be of religious concern (Burkett,
p. 170).
Religion
as defined by Edward Tylor ‘is the belief in supernatural being’.
It could also be defined as a strong belief
in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny. It is an
institution to express belief in a divine power. The typical dictionary definition of religion refers to a
"belief in, or the worship of, a god or gods" or the "service
and worship of God or the supernatural”. (Wikipedia.com).
1.2
Types/classification of religion
Some scholars classify religions as
either universal religions that
seek worldwide acceptance and actively look for new converts, or ethnic religions that are identified with a
particular ethnic group and do not seek converts. Others reject the
distinction, pointing out that all religious practices, whatever their
philosophical origin, are ethnic because they come from a particular culture (John
Shertzer Hittell 1874:137).
2. Indigenous religions, which refers to smaller, culture-specific
or nation-specific religious groups; and
Listed
below are the different types of religions we have:
-
Christianity: Christianity has
more followers than any other religion. It centers on Jesus Christ, whom
Christians consider to be the Son of God. His birth marks the first year of the
Christian calendar, the one most people use today.
-
Islam: It is the
monotheistic religious system of Muslims founded in Arabia in the 7th century
and based on the teachings of Muhammad as laid down in the Koran Islam is the second largest religion in the world.
Only Christianity has more followers. People who follow the religion of Islam
are called Muslims. The founder is known as Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
-
Hinduism: This is the world’s third biggest religion. It
is a body of religious and philosophical beliefs and cultural practices
originating in South Asia; it is characterized by a belief in
reincarnation, by a belief in a supreme being of many forms and natures, by the
view that opposing theories are aspects of one eternal truth, and by a desire
for liberation from earthly evils
-
Confucianism: The teachings of Confucius
emphasizing love for humanity; high value given to learning and to devotion to
family; peace; and justice.
-
Buddhism
is both a religion and a philosophy. This is a religion
represented by the many groups that profess various forms of the Buddhist
doctrine and that venerate Buddha. They follow the teaching of Buddha that life
is permeated with suffering caused by desire, that suffering ceases when desire
ceases, and that enlightenment obtained through right conduct and wisdom and
meditation releases one from desire and suffering and rebirth. It was founded
by Buddha.
-
Taoism: This is a popular Chinese
philosophical system based in teachings of Lao-tzu but characterized by a
pantheism of many gods and the practices of alchemy and divination and magic
-
Shintoism:
This is the ancient indigenous religion of Japan lacking formal dogma;
characterized by veneration of nature spirits and of ancestors
-
Judaism:
Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. It is one of the oldest
religions, and it is based on the belief in one God. Judaism deeply influenced
both Christianity and Islam. It is the monotheistic religion of the Jews having
its spiritual and ethical principles embodied chiefly in the Torah and in the
Talmud
1.3
Importance
of religion
-
Peace-Building: Religions contribute to peace-building by empowering the
weak, by influencing the moral-political climate, by developing cooperation and
providing humanitarian aid.
-
Empowering
people: In the last quarter of this century, religious actors have been a major
force for social justice in the Third World and a movement for peace in the
industrial countries in the North (Weigel, 1991: 39)
People
can be empowered by offering support to protest movements. In both East and
West, churches issued a declaration in the 1980’s supporting the goals of the
peace movement. The ecumenical peace engagement was particularly important in
creating a mass constituency for peace. The pastoral letter ‘The Challenge of
Peace is God’s Promise and our Response’, issued in May 1983, challenged the
very foundation of U.S. nuclear policy and opposed key elements of the Reagan
administration’s military buildup (Cartwright, 1993). People can also be
empowered by providing them with theological support against injustice. In the
Third World, many varieties of theology have been developed which are critical
of structural violence. The best known are the Liberation theology in Latin
America and the black theology in South Africa. These theologies speak for
putting an end to suffering caused by physical, structural, psychological and
cultural violence (Lernoux 1982).
-
Influencing
the moral-political climate: The major variable, which religious organizations
can influence, is the moral-political climate. The moral-political climate at
the international or domestic level can be defined in terms of the perceived
moral-political qualities of the environment in which the conflicting parties
operate. Some climates tend to be destructive, but others enhance conditions
for constructive conflict-management. Religious organizations influence the
moral-political climate by justifying war or peace, tolerance or intolerance,
conservatism or progressivism (M.E.Jeger, 1993).
1.4
Features
of Religion
Supernatural
being
Worship
Priesthood
Sacred
Life
here after
Pilgrimage
Salvation
Soul
-
The
supernatural being is common in all Religion. It is beyond natural. It has to
do with God or gods. The limitation of man led to seeking for a supernatural
being.
-
Worship
is a feeling of profound love, awe and admiration for ones God or gods. This is
common in all religion.
-
Priesthood
is the body of ordained religious practitioners. They oversee all Religious
events, practices, and objects.
-
Sacred
is something set apart for religious purpose. Such as sacred buildings, sacred writings
and sacred lands.
-
Life
here after is life after death. It is the believe that the soul continues to
live after death and the flesh perishes. Every Religion believes in life here
after.
-
Pilgrimage
is the visit or journey to a sacred place. Every religion practices the act of
visiting a holy place.
-
Salvation
is the state of being saved or preserved from evil. We all believe that to be
saved from eternal damnation, one must attain salvation.
-
Soul
is the immaterial part of a person i.e the actuating cause of an individual
life. Every religion believes in the existence of a soul.
CHAPTER
TWO
Origin
of the term conflict
Conflict
was first described in ancient Greek literature as the agon,
or central contest in tragedy. late Middle English:
from Latin conflict- 'struck together, fought', from the verb confligere,
from con- 'together' + fligere 'to strike'; the noun is via
Latin conflictus 'a contest'.
2.1
Concept of conflict
It is well known that conflict is an inevitable
process of social life. Conflict is the expression of disagreement over
something important to two individuals, groups, or nations when they have
different views, different values and fight over limited resources to address
them (Phil-Eze 2009).
Conflict has to be under control by interacting with the parties to develop
common generalization and practices that will return cordial relationship
against violence (Aja 2009).
There are
actually a lot of ways to define conflict due to how it is used in many areas.
Wikipedia put it that conflict pertains to the opposing ideas and actions of
different entities, thus resulting in an antagonistic state. Conflict is an
inevitable part of life. Each of us possesses our own opinions, ideas and sets
of beliefs. We have our own ways of looking at things and we act according to
what we think is proper. Hence, we often find ourselves in conflict in
different scenarios; maybe it involves other individuals, groups of people, or
a struggle within our own selves. Consequently, conflict influences our actions
and decisions in one way or another.
It can be
described as a disagreement among groups or individuals characterized by
antagonism and hostility. This is usually fueled by the opposition of one party
to another, in an attempt to reach an objective different from that of the
other party. The elements involved in the conflict have varied sets of
principles and values, thus allowing such a conflict to arise.
It is an inherent incompatibility between the objectives of two or more characters or
forces. Conflict may be internal or external—that is, it may occur within a person's mind or
between a person and exterior forces.
Conflict refers to some form of friction,
disagreement, or discord arising within a group when the beliefs or actions of
one or more members of the group are either resisted by or unacceptable to one
or more members of another group. Conflict can arise between members of the
same group, known as intragroup conflict, or it can occur between members of
two or more groups, and involve violence, interpersonal discord, and
psychological tension, known as intergroup
conflict. Conflict in groups often follows a specific course. Routine group interaction is first
disrupted by an initial conflict,
often caused by differences of opinion, disagreements between members, or
scarcity of resources. At this point, the group is no longer united, and may
split into coalitions. This period of conflict
escalation in some cases gives way to a conflict resolution stage, after which the group can eventually
return to routine group interaction
once again.
Conflict
may seem to be a problem to some, but this isn’t how conflict should be
perceived. On the other hand, it is an opportunity for growth and can be an
effective means of opening up among groups or individuals. However, when
conflict begins to draws back productivity and gives way to more conflicts,
then conflict management would be needed to come up with a resolution.
Conflict
can also be defined as:
- A
serious disagreement or argument, typically a protracted one
- A
prolonged armed struggle:
regional
conflicts.
- A state of mind in which a person
experiences a clash of opposing feelings or needs.
- A
serious incompatibility between two or more opinions, principles, or
interests.
- Be
incompatible or at variance; clash:
- Having
or showing confused and mutually inconsistent feelings.
2.2
Types
of conflicts
Conflict
is classified into the following types:
Interpersonal conflict/ Man against man
Intrapersonal conflict/ Man against self
Intragroup conflict
Intergroup conflict
Man against Society
Man against nature:
- Interpersonal
conflict refers
to a conflict between two individuals. This occurs typically due to how
people are different from one another. We have varied personalities which
usually results to incompatible choices and opinions. Apparently, it is a
natural occurrence which can eventually help in personal growth or
developing your relationships with others. In addition, coming up with
adjustments is necessary for managing this type of conflict. However, when
interpersonal conflict gets too destructive, calling in a mediator would help so as to have it
resolved.
“Man
against man” conflict involves where persons are against each other. This is an
external conflict. The conflict may be direct opposition, as in a gunfight or a
robbery, or it may be a more subtle conflict between the desires of two or more
persons, as in a romance or a family epic. This type of conflict is very common
in traditional sphere, fairy tales and myths. One example of the “man against
man” conflict is the relationship struggles between the a man and his brothers
over property left by their late father.
- Intrapersonal
conflict occurs
within an individual. The experience takes place in the person’s mind.
Hence, it is a type of conflict that is psychological involving the
individual’s thoughts, values, principles and emotions. Interpersonal
conflict may come in different scales, from the simpler mundane ones like
deciding whether or not to go organic for lunch to ones that can affect
major decisions such as choosing a career path. Furthermore, this type of
conflict can be quite difficult to handle if you find it hard to decipher
your inner struggles. It leads to restlessness and uneasiness, or can even
cause depression. In such occasions, it would be best to seek a way to let
go of the anxiety through communicating with other people. Eventually,
when you find yourself out of the situation, you can become more empowered
as a person. Thus, the experience evoked a positive change which will help
you in your own personal growth.
With
“man against self” conflict, the struggle is internal. This is a conflict that
is usually associated with an external conflict. A man must overcome his own
nature or make a choice between two or more paths – good and evil; logic and
emotion. A serious example of “man against himself”, could be a situation which
centers around addiction, neuroses and self-doubts
- Intragroup
conflict is a
type of conflict that happens among individuals within a team. The
incompatibilities and misunderstandings among these individuals lead to an
intragroup conflict. It arises from interpersonal disagreements (e.g. team
members have different personalities which may lead to tension) or differences
in views and ideas (e.g. in a presentation, members of the team might find
the notions presented by the one presiding to be erroneous due to their
differences in opinion). Within a team, conflict can be helpful in coming
up with decisions which will eventually allow them to reach their
objectives as a team. However, if the degree of conflict disrupts harmony
among the members, then some serious guidance from a different party will
be needed for it to be settled.
- Intergroup
conflict takes
place when a misunderstanding arises among different teams within an
organization. For instance, the sales department of an organization can
come in conflict with the customer support department. This is due to the
varied sets of goals and interests of these different groups. In addition,
competition also contributes for intergroup conflict to arise. There are
other factors which fuel this type of conflict. Some of these factors may
include a rivalry in resources or the boundaries set by a group to others
which establishes their own identity as a team.
- Man
against Society:
Where man stands against a man-made institution (such as slavery or
bullying), “man against man” conflict may shade into “man against society”.
In such situations, persons are forced to make moral choices or frustrated
by social rules in meeting their own goals. Examples of “man against
society” conflicts are situations in which the fights for survival against
a society that is also fighting for its own survival.
- Man
against nature:
“Man against nature” conflict is an external struggle positioning man
against an animal or a force of nature, such as a storm or tornado or
snow. The “man against nature” conflict is seen when man is found
contending against nature.
2.2
Causes/sources of conflict
Three main
sources of conflict as proposed by American psychologist Daniel Katz; According
to him, conflict arises primarily due to these three:
Economic conflict
Value conflict
Power conflict
-
Economic conflict is brought about by a limited amount of resources. The
groups or individuals involved then comes into conflict to attain the most of
these resources, thus bringing forth hostile behaviors among those involved.
-
Value conflict is concerned with the varied preferences and ideologies that
people have as their principles. Conflicts driven by this factor are
demonstrated in wars wherein separate parties have sets of beliefs that they
assert (in an aggressive manner at that).
-
Power conflict occurs when the parties involved intends to maximize what
influence it has in the social setting. Such a situation can happen among
individuals, groups or even nations. In other types of conflict, power is also evident as it
involves an asserting of influence to another.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we can say that
Religion is the belief in spiritual/ supernatural beings or a
strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
while conflict is an open clash between two opposing groups/individuals, a
state of opposition between persons, ideas or interests or an opposition
between two simultaneous but incompatible feelings.
References
-Rev. Dr. E. O. Anyacho (2005) Essential themes in the study of Religion.
-Aja Akpuru-Aja (2009). Basic concepts of conflict. Ibadan,
Spectrum Books Ltd.
-Felicia and Nkiruka (vol 5, 2013) “Peace education and conflict resolution
in post primary schools: the role of the teacher” international journal of research in Arts and Social Sciences (IJRASS)
Pg 376
-Erik Eynikel & Angeliki Ziaka
Religion and conflict April 2011 Pg 426.
-Robertson, John M., "A Short
History of Christianity" (1902) p.278.
-John Shertzer Hittell, "A
Brief History of Religion" 1874 p.137
-R. Scott Appleby, "Religion,
Conflict Transformation, and Peace building," in Turbulent Peace: The
Challenges of Managing International Conflict, Eds, Chester A. Crocker, Fen
Osler Hampson, and Pamela Aall (Washington DC: USIP Press, 2001).
- Robert A. Baron (1 July 1990). "Conflict in Organizations". In Kevin R. Murphy; Frank E. Saal.
Psychology in Organizations:
integrating Science and Practice. Psychology Press. pp. 197–216.
-Michael Nicholson (27 March 1992). Rationality and the Analysis
of International Conflict.
Cambridge University Press. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-521-39810-7. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
-T. F. O'Dea, The Sociology of Religion (Englewood
Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1966)
-Dobbelaere and J. Lauwers,
"Definition of Religion," Social
Compass 20(1973):535-551
Great essay! Thought you might add the references at the end. Could you please help me out with the full citation for M.E. Jeger's work. Really need it for my project. Thanks!
ReplyDeletethe references are there now.
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Thank you!
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