Blood fields: religion and history of violence. Armstrong K

War, terrorism, aggressive intolerance, social violence accompany humanity throughout history. Is the religion that is increasingly reproached for this?
History from the Stone Age to the present day reveals a difficult picture. Religion built into the state apparatus already in early agricultural societies turns into an instrument of social suppression. A lot of crimes are committed on behalf of religion, colonization and slavery, pogroms and terrorist attacks were justified by it. And at the same time, from century to century, faith softens morals and teaches to see the neighbor not only in the rash. Humanity owes religion by the fact that it has become humanity, not stuck at the level of barbarism, where each tribe is surrounded by hostile tribes.
This is a fascinating study of the history of religious wars and the roles of religion in power and politics, written by the world famous religious Karen Armstrong, a deep and impartial presentation of the experience of different religions: paganism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam