Holding Religious Leaders Responsible

It’s rare that people commit religiously-motivated violence all on their own. Typically, they are inspired to commit violence and whipped up into a frenzy by religious leaders whose pronouncements against infidels or evildoers are taken very seriously. What, if any, responsibility do these leaders have for the violence ultimately committed.

All Africa reports that a seminar on religion and violence in Lagos, Nigeria (which has seen a great deal of religious violence recently) argued that they should take a great deal of responsibility for what their words lead to:

The two lecturers at the seminar, one Islamic scholar, Dr. Murziq Adeyemi of the Department of Political Science of the Lagos State University and Prophet Olurotimi Olulana of the Divine Messengers of Christ, Lagos stressed the need for Nigerians to always ignore self-serving politicians and adhere strictly to the basic tenets of their religion which is centred on love and peaceful co-existence.

Dr. Akintola submitted that there can hardly be any religious uprising anywhere without the knowledge or input of the religious leaders, adding that traditional rulers should also be made answerable particularly in cases of ethnic clashes. According to him, "Nigerians have the inalienable right to live and work unimpeded and unmolested in any part of the federation."

It’s one thing to call upon religious authorities to be more responsible, but it’s another to actually make it happen. When religious figures are part of and rely upon a larger religious network, it may be possible to ostracize them as punishment for encouraging violence. Otherwise, what can be done? Send in competing religious figures who preach a more peaceful message? Arrest them?

This is an issue that really needs to be addressed because the problem of religious violence is on the increase around the world. Everywhere we can find religious figures promoting violence and solutions to this are necessary.

Read More:

• Religious Intolerance & Bigotry
• War on Terrorism