# Specific examples of politics causing interfaith conflict **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 13, 2009, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285 "2009-05-13T14:08:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285/21 "2009-05-21T14:32:40Z")
Buddhists can be huge flaming jackasses just like anyone else. They can also be really cool guys like anyone else. And everything in between, of course. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285/22 "2009-05-21T14:40:15Z")
I wasn’t referring to individuals, I was referring to the faith as a group. What is offensive about Buddhists as a group entity, that there would be a big clash against them from another religion? ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285/23 "2009-05-21T16:36:22Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > Some other good examples are in medieval Spain over many centuries when Jews, Christians, and Muslims often lived side by side in relative peace, but it all deteriorated once Al-Andalus broke down into smaller kingdoms and the political leaders started leveraging the faiths against each other to conquer or defend land. I’d disagree with this characterization. During times of Convivencia the religious authorities (both Christian and Muslim) rallied against it, and lobbied for a much less tolerant, extremist policies. When strong political leaders, with vested interests in the advantages of Convivencia were in charge, the religious extremists were kept largely in check. When that political landscape changed that was no longer the case. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285/24 "2009-05-21T16:41:57Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > What is offensive about Buddhists as a group entity, that there would be a big clash against them from another religion? Exactly the same things as other organised religions. It becomes associated with a particular ethnic or political group, and hence causes conflicts (and causes existing conflicts to become more vicious). See the civil war that currently winding down in Sri Lanka for a case in point. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285/25 "2009-05-22T04:02:41Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > how can you be mad at Buddhists? Very easily, especially when they’re oppressing you, which they’ve historically done in the deep South – denying employment, denying health care, denying education etc, and for no better reason than they’re “filthy Muslims,” to use one term of endearment I’ve heard Buddhists here use. There are some real bastard Buddhists. It’s not all David Carradine and _Kung Fu_. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285/26 "2009-05-22T05:41:00Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > I think religion is inherently evil. I just think that most people wouldn’t fight violently over it if politicians/governments didn’t manipulate it for their agendas. That’s funny-_I_ think the problem is religious institutions trying to manipulate governments for _their_ agendas. It is impossible for government to stay out of the business of religion if some religions continue trying to manipulate government. ---
**Author:** ![NoJustice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecb155/32.png) [@NoJustice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoJustice)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285/27 "2009-05-23T00:15:20Z")
There’s a difference between religion and politics now? Seriously, religion is just politics with “god is on my side” thrown in to make the deluded leaders convinced they’ll always win. (they’ll believe they’re inherently right with or without god obviously) ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2009, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285/28 "2009-05-23T12:42:25Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Buddhists can be huge flaming jackasses just like anyone else. …especially when protesting by self-immolation. What? It had to be done. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/specific-examples-of-politics-causing-interfaith-conflict/496285.md?page=1)