The Issue: Religion, violence and the secular state

Second purported beheading

Second purported beheading | Site Intelligence Group


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The Issue: Religion, violence and the secular state


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It's the 21st century, but throughout the parts of the world controlled by the so-called Islamic State, we're seeing savage and indiscriminate violence reported.

Beheadings, rapes, violent force used to convert populations - it seems like barbarian tribes attacking the Roman Empire as they rape and pillage. Or maybe the Mongol hordes of Genghis Khan. Or maybe the violent end of the Byzantine empire. Or maybe Srebrenica not so long ago.

The point is all this violence marries with the "politics of identity" and travels along religious lines.

Atheist Richard Dawkins wrote in The God Delusion that "only religious faith is a strong enough force to motivate such utter madness in otherwise sane and decent people".

That's our conversation tonight - the dynamic between religion, violence and the secular state.

GUESTS IN THIS HOUR


  • Dr. Sameena Yasmeen, Professor of Political Science and International Relations, University of Western Australia
  • Dr. Richard Schumack, Centre for Public Christianity
  • Arda Aghazarian, Palestinian Christian speaker and Jersualem resident visiting Australia as a guest of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network





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