It’s common today for critics of religion—especially Christianity—to claim that religion has caused more wars than anything else in history. One of the most frequently cited examples is the Crusades. But is this argument historically accurate or logically sound?
Let’s take a closer look, using the Crusades as a case study to challenge this widespread claim.
First, we need to recognize a basic error in reasoning: making broad conclusions based on limited examples. Philosophers call this a hasty generalization fallacy. Just because certain conflicts involved religious rhetoric or symbolism does not mean that religion, in itself, is the root cause of war.
The Crusades were a series of military campaigns launched by European powers between the 11th and 13th centuries, mainly aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land from Muslim control. While they were undertaken under the banner of Christianity, the reality is far more complex. The Crusades were driven by a mix of motives—political ambition, economic gain, territorial expansion, and social upheaval. Religious language was certainly used, but it often masked much deeper geopolitical interests.
Christianity, as a faith, had existed for over a thousand years before the first Crusade began in 1096. The teachings of Jesus Christ, which form the heart of Christian belief, emphasize love, humility, sacrifice, and peace. He taught His followers to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies, and to pray for those who persecute them. Nowhere did He endorse violence in the name of religion. So when individuals or institutions claim to act "in the name of God" while contradicting His teachings, they must be judged by the standard of those teachings—not used as representatives of them.
You cannot judge Jesus Christ by the misdeeds of those who falsely claim His name. The core of the Christian faith lies not in the flawed history of its followers but in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Himself—and the moral truth revealed in Scripture.
This brings us to a popular quote from comedian George Carlin: “More people have been killed in the name of God than for any other reason.” It’s a memorable line—but does history back it up?
Not quite. In their extensive work, The Encyclopedia of Wars, historians Charles Phillips and Alan Axelrod documented 1,763 wars throughout recorded history. Of these, only 123 were classified as having a religious cause. That’s just under 7 percent. And in terms of death tolls, the numbers are even more revealing. The most devastating wars in human history—World War I, World War II, Stalin’s purges, Mao’s Cultural Revolution, the Cambodian genocide—were not religious conflicts. They were fueled by secular ideologies such as nationalism, fascism, and communism, many of which were explicitly anti-religious or atheistic in nature.
In fact, more people died in wars and political violence during the 20th century alone than in all previous centuries combined. Far from being driven by religion, many of these atrocities were committed by regimes that sought to eliminate religion altogether.
Some argue that religion still played a role in many of these events, even if indirectly. But that only reinforces the point: if religion was merely a minor influence or justification, then it cannot be reasonably cited as the root cause. And if critics insist that even a hint of religious language in a conflict proves religion’s guilt, they must also acknowledge how often secular ideologies have brought about far greater destruction.
Moreover, if we remove the idea of God altogether, we face another problem: without a transcendent moral foundation, how do we define what is good or evil? If there is no higher standard beyond human opinion, then moral judgments—about war, violence, or even justice—become subjective. That’s a deeper conversation, but it's worth noting that belief in God provides a framework for objective morality, which is essential for meaningful ethical reflection.
In conclusion, the idea that religion—particularly Christianity—is the primary cause of war does not hold up under historical or philosophical scrutiny. While religion has been misused, the overwhelming majority of wars throughout history have been driven by political power, territorial ambition, and ideological conflict. Blaming religion broadly ignores the complexity of history and misrepresents both the nature of war and the heart of faith.
Truth stands up to examination. And the truth is this: human beings—not religion—are responsible for war. And when people truly follow the teachings of Jesus, they do not start wars; they work to end them.
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