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Who Needs Religion, If It's the Cause of So Much Violence?

Picture
Question:

I am Jewish, but cannot embrace Judaism as a religion. Religion is the cause of all wars, and I believe we would be closer to world peace without it. Wouldn't the world be better off if it weren't for religion?

Answer:

Rejecting Judaism because you believe in world peace is like refusing to enter a Japanese restaurant because you like sushi. It just doesn't make sense.

War comes naturally to people. It existed long before any religion. Peace did not. Peace is not natural to the human condition. It had to be taught and learned. And it was a religious idea.

The first and most powerful vision of world peace was presented to mankind by the prophets of ancient Israel. They predicted a time when "one nation will not lift a sword against another nation, and they will no longer learn to wage war." In a world that saw war as an inevitable fact of life, the Jewish religion introduced a radical new concept: that war is ultimately undesirable and peace is the ideal state for which to strive.

Without religion we would find other things to fight about, like parking spots and noise from the neighbors. But without religion, world peace would not have entered the human vocabulary. Whether you are aware if it or not, your dream of world peace is biblically inspired. Ideals do not live in bubbles. Like people, they need parents to give birth to them and a home environment to sustain them. Peace without religion is homeless. It was Judaism that gave birth to the vision of world peace and still provides a framework to implement that vision.

True, religion has been used by some as a pretext for war. But this does not invalidate all religion, just as when football players brawl it does not invalidate the game of football. Ridding the world of all religion would not end war any more than abolishing football would brawls. In fact, religion still provides the strongest argument for peace between people: that we were all created by the same G-d. Without this belief, is there anything that really unites us all?


By Aron Moss

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  • Home
  • About Us
    • The Organization
    • The Rabbi
    • Jewish Area
    • Photo Gallery
    • Support plans
  • Programs
    • CKids After School
    • Mom and Tot
    • Hebrew School
    • Summer Camp >
      • About
      • Testimonials
      • Photo Gallery
      • Dates & Rates
      • Registration
      • Faq's
    • March Break Camp
    • Winter Camp
    • Adult Education >
      • Torah and Tea Women's Weekly Class
      • One on One Torah study
      • Torah of Life
      • Articles & Insights
      • Questions & Answers
    • Inspirational Evening
    • Community Shabbat Dinner
    • Gan Chabad Jewish Preschool - About
    • JTeens
    • Jewish Lending Library
    • Jewish Holidays >
      • High Holidays >
        • Rosh Hashana Community Dinner
      • Sukkot
      • Simchat Torah
      • Chanukah >
        • Menorah Lighting & Chanukah Fest
        • Chanukah Menorah & Candles
        • Chanukah Sufganiyot Making
      • Purim >
        • Purim Kids
      • Passover >
        • Passover Seder
        • Order Shmurah Matzah
        • Matzah Balls recipe
        • What is Shmurah Matzah?
        • Selling Chametz
      • Lag Ba'omer
      • Shavuot >
        • Letter in the Torah
    • Challah Bake
  • Jewish Practice
    • Bar/Bat Mitzvah
    • Jewish Calendar >
      • Request a Holiday package
    • Mezuzah
    • How to light the Menorah
    • Shabbat Candle Lighting >
      • How to
      • Shabbat Times for Barrie
      • Shabbat SMS Reminder
      • Holiday Candle Lighting
    • Kosher Beverages
    • Kosher Poultry and Meat
    • Kosher Products
    • Mikvah
  • Contact
    • Join our email list
    • Ask the Rabbi
  • Donate
    • Support plans