Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of ViolenceBook by Karen Armstrong
“In his
classic study of religion and violence, Rene Girard argued that the scapegoat
ritual defused rivalries among groups within the community. In a similar way, I
believe, modern society has made a scapegoat of faith.
In the
West the idea that religion is inherently violent is now taken for granted and
seems self-evident. As one who speaks on religion, I constantly hear how cruel
and aggressive it has been, a view that, eerily, is expressed in the same way
almost every time: ‘Religion has been the cause of all the major wars in
history.’” Introduction.
Karen Armstrong gives a thought
provoking, educational and information packed gem in Fields of Blood: Religion
and the History of Violence. This is not a cup of coffee on a rainy day book
but rather a guided walk through the history of religion, politics, and the
ever changing yet ever constant behavior of humankind. It takes the concept of
using religion as a scapegoat for wars and argues that religious faith is not
inherently violent.
Being a self-proclaimed history and
social science nerd, I fully enjoyed the look into the culture perceptions and
history of the Hebrew people, the Byzantine Empire, the Muslim people and the
foundations of society that resulted in what we know today.
This book is not a light and happy
read. It is challenging and opens doors for introspection and contemplation on
multiple issues, but a little brainwork and personal reflection is good for
anyone.
Fields of Blood is a great resource
and I would like to commend Armstrong on her presentation and her organization of
information. Keeping in mind, this is her argument and all arguments have their
pros and cons, I recommend this book for anyone willing to trudge through the
muck that has gathered around religion and form your own path. No matter your
stance on religion, I believe there is something to be gained from what
Armstrong presents. I think it is important to know where we have been, and to decide
where we stand in the present in order to move forward into the future.
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