Power

[Teh caged Animal]

SInce the underlying message of most spiritual traditions is virtually identical, and calls for us to love and accept one another, why do you suppose so much violence and bloodshed seems to arise from religious groups? All people have their own views on who rules the universe. Maybe its simply because since religion goes through everything to make that religion almighty then people should get mad at other practices and be religiously intolerant.

[tuxedo_mirage]

I said this/had this as my facebook status once: "The problem isn't agreeing on world peace, but on its terms." All of these groups preach love and acceptance, but only if you join their beliefs! -_-

[devonin]

Most religious traditions especially those in the Judeo-Christian tradition also call upon followers to spread the word of their path and spiritual knowledge to those who are not already followers. Various branches of the JC tradition even limit salvation to those who are avowed followers of the tradition.

In such a situation, it becomes a moral imperative for a true believer to try and convince those around them of the rightness of their belief and to encourage conversion. Since someone who believes their own spiritual tradition to be the correct one is likely to resist an attempt to "save" them by converting them to a tradition which opposes their own, conflict is pretty much inevitable.

[Wineandbread]

Conflicts between religions occur all the time. Not every religion acknowledges other religions, especially back in the day.

Think about the Crusades. Regular people offered to fight to reclaim Jerusalem because they were passionate about their beliefs. They have no problem using force to spread their religion as long as it's for a "higher cause". Peace and love kicks in after violence and war.

Think about the power and influence that religious leaders commanded because of their religions. It is a great source of authority that rulers do not want to lose. When people rebel or strike out against the religion, the religious leaders try to silence the uprising and instill fear into others to maintain their authority. Whether it's passion or fear, followers will obey their leaders and do their bidding, involving violence or not.

[dsliscoo]

Thats a very vague question. Rage and Violence comes from all groups not just religious ones. You will find that there are people who want more(maybe greed maybe not) and desire manifests in a wrong way. Boiling it down to just religious groups is a common tactic used to spread a certain view.

It is better to not ask why religion and beliefs trigger so much violence and just ask yourself how can I avoid causing people to take actions I disprove of around me. Assuming you dont like rage and violence that is.

[LordTyriel]

Because "Teh cage Animal" humans are flawed, one of our flaws are the flaw to be manipulated! You see that is what religion is, it tries to show itself by being the random miracles that happen around you all the time yet its merely a "feeling". Its the same about violence in religion, once you have them you merely twist the little things around to make it sound believable then you use them as pawns. Its just like the crusades christians, no god worshipers thought doing wrong was right yet did god want it? Was god the one who said "kill all these people" NO it was humans! Yes everything about humans shows flaw, you see now? Humans are to blame for the selfish action of violence, we start and end bloodshed oh how we are weak.
Hope is also what drives people to do many stupid and aggressive actions. Once someone receives hope from being in the dark for so long they accept anything if not a deity! Once they gain more hope it becomes a belief once they believe they get twisted in with everything else that religion has to offer and becomes a tool to the exact religion it has hope and belief in. Oh how amazing another human flaw. Why do you think some people sacrifice for their religion? Because their so engrossed in it that they are blinded by what is right and wrong (in human sense). So now I ask you if not all you what truly is religion?

[Cavernio]

Social species fight between themselves all the time. Gorillas and chimps will beat members of another group to death if they even so much as walk in their territory. Other species will kill members of other species just for the sake of doing so too, like birds who purposefully go and knock down another species' of bird nest. Conflict and violence between groups of people who aren't all the same seem to be a side-effects (or some people may say are actually useful effects even for things like cultural and religious differences) of an evolutionary propensity for violence. Violence happens in the animal world because it keeps people who have similar genes, above others. What devonin said is very true, for certain, but I also think that there's more than just that. People will fight and argue over ideas and differences all the time, just because someone else thinks differently from them, and that I believe is evolution, and religion is just another thing where people differ from each other.