* "The Origins of Religious Violence" by Nick Gier ~ Which Religion has Killed the Most Human Beings?

By Nick Gier, New West Unfiltered 6-06-07

RELATIVE VIOLENCE IN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY

Nick Gier, Professor Emeritus, University of Idaho

"I'm writing a book on the origins of religious violence and my thesis is that there has been far more religiously motivated violence in the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—than the Asian religions.

"... Short of Osama bin Laden getting several nukes and using them, militant Muslims have a long way to go to match the historical Christian kill rate."

Gier: The connection between strong belief and religiously motivated violence can be well documented, and the early results of my research on the origins of religious violence can be found here.

Nick Gier taught religion and philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years. See his columns as the Palouse Pundit.

Gier's Website