Violence in God's name:

From the Balkans to the Middle East, adherents of every faith commit acts of violence on the grounds of serving the cause of God. In the wake of the latest escalations in religious violence, politicians, the media, and religious leaders claim religion is not to blame for the conflicts that increasingly threaten world peace. Yet events themselves demonstrate that religion has indeed played an aggravating role, even fostering deadly fanaticism. In this powerful analysis British broadcaster Oliver McTernan argues that only by changing this mindset can the threat of faith-inspired terror be eliminated. He examines closely the complex roots of religious-inspired violence, the historic ambivalence of religious traditions toward it, and the urgent steps to be taken now. The current crisis demands more than tolerance: religious leaders of all faiths must begin to defend the rights of others to believe differently. At stake is not simply the credibility of religion but the welfare of humanity. Book jacket.