The past two millennia has seen so much fighting in between Christians and Muslims, Muslims and Hindus, Hindus and Buddhists, and Muslims and Jews, that anyone would be driven to belief that the most vicious killing results when different confessions clash.

However, history has seen so much brutality between people belonging to the same religion, that it becomes evident that the simple fact of believing in God is enough to propel individuals and nations into a killing spree.

Inter Christian warfare during the Middle Ages for example, was so regular and vicious, that the Vatican had to institute in 989 the Truce of God, which forbade war during certain days of the week. Nonetheless, the good the Vatican did with one hand, was negated with the other, for it set inquisitorial tribunals that burned at the stake thousands of people.

Because of so many abuses from Rome, some protested and Martin Luther led the way in 1517. This led to a schism within Christianity, which led to a more large scale inter-faith warfare.

The first war between Catholics and Protestants took place in 1524 in Germany. The second was from 1529 to 1531 and the battles took place in Switzerland. The third was from 1546 to 1555 and it was again fought in German territory. Then, the battlefield shifted to France and from 1562 to 1598 there were seven wars in that country. By the end of the sixteenth century, the Protestants in the Netherlands rebelled against Spanish rule and more blood was spilled. Around that same time there was war between Catholic Spain and Anglican England, and from 1618 to 1648, the butchery returned to Germany as the Catholics of the south fought against the Lutherans of the north.

People were not just killed in the battlefield, but they were also beaten to death, thrown from tall buildings, drowned, burned, and gouged. Catholics were particularly original in the arrangements they took before killing an opponent. They would cut their tongues so that their last words would not be a chant to their rebellious faith.

Muslims were no different and brotherhood among them was also scarce. The death of Mohammed in Medina in the year 632 provoked a mayor crisis among his followers. As soon as he passed away, groups began to dispute over the leadership and this resulted in a schism, which led to the creation of the Sunni and the Shiite sect.

Since that date, both groups took to killing each other with gusto. There were recurrent confrontations that caused an inordinate amount of horror and bloodshed.

From the beginning, the Sunnis were the most numerous, accounting for more than four-fifth of the total. They were also the least radical in their interpretation of the Koran, while the Shiites were the most militant. Despite the relative liberal approach of the Sunnis, they committed as many unspeakable atrocities as the Shiites. Both camps tortured, stoned to death, hacked, decapitated, gouged, and impaled millions of their opponents.

As with the Christians, the difference between Muslim sects was minor, but since each group was so certain to represent the one and only true God, it was impossible to find a diplomatic solution to their disputes.

The most peaceful South Asian of the twentieth century was Mohandas Gandhi, who was a Hindu. However, he was killed by a militant Hindu in 1948. At the moment of the assassination, there was violence between Hindus and Muslims, but it was a member of Gandhi's same creed the one who murdered him.

As unbelievable as it might seem, the inter-confessional violence continues in the twenty-first century. It goes on in Iraq, in Northern Ireland, and in many other places.

Religions are so intrinsically violent, that they will drive people to kill even when they belong to the same faith. It is beyond a doubt that religions are the scourge of this world and the opium of the masses.