One view that causes conflict
Dear editor
D
r Timothy J E Cross suggests that if we are allowed to believe what we like, we can believe in holy wars, witchcraft and child sacrifice.While this may be true, a belief in something particularly if it prevents acceptance of another’s beliefs is just as bad.
While I am not aware of many atheists or agnostics having killed each other over their beliefs, it is the case that Christians and Moslems both fought holy wars. Hindus and Moslems kill each other in India today because of their beliefs.
Christians killed Jews in Europe and anti Semitic church attitudes have arguably contributed to the Holocaust.
Catholics and Protestants have fought and killed each other in Europe. Moslems and Jews are killing each other in the Middle East, and Moslems and Christians in the Balkans.
A belief in racial superiority produced the enslavement of coloured people.
In all these cases, the belief that only one view could possibly be correct was a major, if not the sole, cause of conflict.
Yours sincerely
Gavin Davies, Barry