Religion
In reply to the discussion: Religion Was Not the Reason For the Paris Attacks [View all]mike_c
(36,281 posts)...although I disagree that the sentiment lets religion off the hook in any way.
I agree with Christopher Hedges' position that the real driver of much extremism and violence is social and economic inequality and the entrenched, generational despair they engender. However, politicians, religious leaders, and others with their own agendas exploit that anger and turn it to their own purposes. Religious dogma more often than not has built-in xenophobia and persecution ideation that easily lends itself to channeling extremism.
So while religion might not be the proximal cause of extremist violence, it is certainly often the vehicle for directing, focusing, and exploiting it. It's a difference without much of a distinction, IMO. But it does suggest that seeking solutions to extremism and violence by arguing about religion and its role won't ever really solve the problem, since its real roots are deep in more fundamental, longterm social and economic injustice.