Genius Hour: Cause of Problem

The root of interfaith conflicts is hard to ascertain, since religion has been around since before writing. In America, however, it is easier to pinpoint the origin of the conflict. The decision to make religious discrimination illegal created conflict between groups, as coexistence is bound to create friction. Christians of different denominations often disagree on key issues, and those of different faiths altogether would not be exactly welcome. The concept of religious freedom was obviously intended for non-mainstream Christians, and welcoming others in the fold might have caused friction early on. In more recent times, twentieth century events may have influenced interfaith relations. World War II may have had a profound effect; imprisoning Japanese-Americans in internment camps may have caused animosity towards certain Asian religions, such as Shinto and multiple strains of Buddhism. The rise of antisemitism in Europe around the time may have been mirrored in America and caused unwanted prejudice against Jewish people. The spate of religious-based domestic terror attacks may have caused conflicts between followers of Christianity and Islam; both extremist Christians and Muslims have committed terror attacks on American soil, the most visible of which were the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers, killing over 3,000 people and kick-starting a campaign against Islam and the Middle East. The rise of atheism could be considered a cause of a feeling of persecution from Christians in America. Recent political events have not helped matters; policies that were recently enacted aim to discriminate against people of a certain faith. Overall, there are multiple factors that have led to the deterioration of relations between religions in America.