Religious Conflict in 20th Century Non-western Literature Religion is essential to every human being. Not only does it serve as a foundation for one to form his/her own set of values and integrity, but it also acts as a source of conflict for many people. Internal religious conflict can be seen in the form of one’s personal struggle with his/her belief. However, personal struggles are mostly influenced by external factors, which cause disturbances to one’s faith and loyalty to their beliefs. On the other hand, external conflict is the concept of which chaos and upheavals occur in society from clash of beliefs. Both conflicts between religions and internal religious conflict are found to be central to the plot of many examples of 20th Century Non-Western literature. African and Middle-Eastern literature, in particular, addresses many aspects of religious conflict, both in the form of the individual and collective struggle. During the 19th and 20th century, Africa experienced various influences and manipulation from Western colonizers. Westerners emerged with strong intentions to destroy local traditions and establish a solid group of supporters who would accommodate their rule. Religion, being central to all African lives, was the first on the colonizers’ execution list. Evangelists and Missionaries arrived in Africa and infused with the local African community, appearing to be supportive and empathetic towards the natives. Gradually, Africans became brain-washed and started to fall for the cajolery that Westerners had plotted. However, eradicating the beliefs that were had been so deeply rooted in African culture for centuries were not an easy task. Although many radical Africans were tolerant towards the Westerners, conse... ... middle of paper ... ...those in need, it can also cause havoc and destruction upon a society. Religion is viewed as an ominous force that can cause both individual suffering and gruesome battles. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Oxford: Heinemann, 2008. Print. Clerk, Jayana, and Ruth Siegel. Modern Literatures of the Non-Western World: Where the Waters Are Born. New York, N.Y.: HarperCollins College, 1995. Print. Hosseini, Khaled. The Kite Runner. New York: Riverhead, 2003. Print. Ngugi, Wa Thiong'o. Weep Not Child. Oxford: Heinemann, 1987. Print. "Religion and the Igbo People." Queen's University Belfast | Home. 15 Aug. 2001. Web. 22 Mar. 2010. . "Taliban." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 15 Apr. 2010. Web. 20 Apr. 2010. .
There is absolutely no human group which does no react to the changes, disturbing events and crises which the dynamics of history introduce into the physical or cultural context to which the group belongs. Any quick change, an internal or external conflict whatever, produces a crisis. To each crisis, society responds by slowly developing new forms and new means to bring about balance within the limits of the particular cultural group. Sometimes the crises and wounds are so serious that they threaten the vey existence of the group. Their whole existence seems to be on the line. In such a case, the most secret and active forces in their whole culture are mobilized so as to develop adequate means for their liberation. These means are the forces of religious life.
Some common themes of 17th-19th century African social and political history span these three stories despite their distinct historical contexts and characteristics. In each society, warlords vied for control without being able to unify small disintegrating states, and political strife led to social mobility and fed the slave trade with war captives (Lovejoy, 68-70). The struggle between competing definitions of orthodoxy and orthopraxy became crucially important when religious causes were allied with political causes, especially seen in the cases of Beatriz and Uthman. Another common feature, best illustrated in Guimba’s story, is the tradition African belief that spiritual power, whatever its source, is good when used in the interests of the community, but bad when used for personal gain (Thornton, 43-44).
The book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe details the account of an African tribal named Okonkwo as his life goes from great to horrible. While this book has many lessons that can be learned, I will be primarily focusing on the effect that Christianity had on the population of the African tribe. While Christianity is a religion of peace, its followers often do not follow this basic tenant. The first missionary, Mr. Brown, practiced compromise and tolerance. His replacement, Mr. Smith, was much more aggressive in his tactics. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe shows through the characterization of Mr. Smith a shameful and harmful look at the spread of Christianity during the British empirical period.
The novel Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe highlights the many important historical events that happened during the period of colonialism, spread of religious fervor to Africa from Europe, and the importance of the native religion among African societies. Achebe shows that religion holds a major influence in many African societies and influences the daily life of the natives. Furthermore, the novel introduces a major event that happen during pre-colonial Africa, the spread of the Christian faith, which forever changed and affected the natives in Africa, more specifically the Igbo society located in Nigeria. Things Fall Apart vividly describes and explains how the Christian faith that arrived in Africa changed both the individuals in the Umoufia and society. To add on, the novel shows how the spread of Christianity ultimately leads to the destruction of the many native African cultures, and shows what redeeming qualities that arise from the destruction of their culture. Achebe describes how the Christian faith acts as a guide to the Igbo society and at the same time acts as the inevitable downfall of the Igbo society.
Davis, Paul, Gary Harrison, David Johnson, Patricia Smith, and John Crawford. The Bedford Anthology of World Literature: The Twentieth Century, 1900-The Present. 6. United States of America: Bedford/St.Martin's, 2003. Print.
Often radical religion is based on good ideas and takes them to the extreme and some people take religion and misuse its power to make people to bad things. In the sense of the crusade, Pope Urban misused his power as religious leader and encourage Christians to do bad things. The Taliban took ideas that were good, took them to the extreme and turned them to evil. Although, religion can also be positive, in the sense of multiple modern day religions, as a way to treat others well. Religion can be a great way to base one’s life around but is often misused by taken it to the extreme or by using religions power to make people do bad
Imagine a group of foreign people invading your home, disavowing all your beliefs, and attempting to convert you to a religion you have never heard of. This was the reality for thousands and thousands of African people when many Europeans commenced the Scramble for Africa during the period of New Imperialism. A great fiction novel written by Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart, highlights the responses to missionaries by African people. The African natives responded to the presence of white missionaries with submission to their desires, strategic responses to counteract them, and with the most disruptive response of violence.
Lawall, Sarah N., and Maynard Mack. The Norton Anthology of World Literature the Twentieth Century. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2002. Print.
Every state, culture, and society in the world has some form of religion. The most popular religions in the world today are Christianity, Buddhism, and the Muslim religions. Members of every religion follow some form of philosophy or ideology that shape their thinking and behaviors. One common thing about the existing religions is the presence of a supreme being. People misinterpret existing religious ideologies serving their personal interests that at times turn out to cause war. Religious ideologies brainwash populations who end up acting violently in different deviant forms (Richardson, 518). Religions use specific ideologies to make people living in a society violent to peaceful members who may fight back in self-defense.
European colonization in Kenya had a large impact on Africa’s religion and culture. Africa had over 100 ethnic groups in which were effected from the colonization. (Doc.2). The Europeans believed that Africans did not have a developed religion and believed in bizarre thing such as witchcraft (Doc.6). But, in the Abaluyia Story of Creation, it told how the world and man was created, which was really like the European religion of Christianity in which Adam and Eve was made in a similar way. This proved that they indeed did have an organized religion (Doc.7). In 1962, 80% of Kenyans believed in the indigenous beliefs, but after in 2002, only 26% of the population believed in the indigenous beliefs. Because Europeans believed in Christianity, Protestant beliefs went from 7% in 1962 to 38% in 2002, and Catholic beliefs went from 3.5% to 28% (Doc. 8). Europeans felt they gave Africans the Christian religion, a “superior” form of government, and a more developed civilization (Background Essay). The colonization in Kenya changed their culture also. Kenyans changed their clothing. Leaders of Kenya including the first president Jomo Kenyatta wore clothing very similar to the clothing of the Europeans (Doc.5). This made people feel that their clothing was not in fashion and they had to follow the way of the Europeans. This decreased the amount of people wearing their regular clothing and the amount of people following their own culture. Kenya’s religion and culture truly converted, because of European colonization.
In British Literature religion plays a role in a vast majority of works. Even if the role is not explosively apparent, there are a generous amount of small inspirations and distortions in the texts. Some texts are theorized to have even been altered from their original state to reflect an amount of religion in them. Other texts are formatted as a result of religious influence. Religion has an elaborate and intricate influence in a variety of ways in many works throughout the development of British Literature.
As the English began to colonize the Igbo society, there were few natives who opposed it, they others just felt that the English would come and go, but they were wrong. Soon, the English began to introduce "white man's religion." This new religion was completely the opposite from what the natives were accustomed to. Christianity was rather intriguing to many of the natives and many of them turned away from their families and everything they were to become a member of this new religion. Before this, they natives had been very superstious, but as they new religion flooded over the peoples, their superstiousocity began to lessen and their belief in the many gods they had previously believed in.
In the book “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe we are given insight into what life was like before and during the European, imperialist land grab of africa. In this essay I will discuss how the christian missionaries tried to convert the native African population to christianity and what made some of the villagers join the christian missionaries in converting their fellow clansmen. We will also examine how Europeans used a combination of fear and cooperation to successfully convert the native population to christianity.
An overwhelming majority of African nations has reclaimed their independence from their European mother countries. This did not stop the Europeans from leaving a permanent mark on the continent however. European colonialism has shaped modern-day Africa, a considerable amount for the worse, but also some for the better. Including these positive and negative effects, colonialism has also touched much of Africa’s history and culture especially in recent years.
Religion, a word shrouded with mystery, confusion and complexity. For some it is the answer to everything, a path to guidance and hope. For others it is the reason for all evil or just a manmade phenomenon for people who refuse to understand that everything happens for a scientific reason. Whatever the case is, it is a topic that is quite controversial and much debated among scientists, cultural theorist and conspiracy theorists. Religion plays a major role in functioning and forming social and psychological behavior of a society. It is connected more towards the emotional side of a person and everyone has their own perspective about it. Therefore religion has become an important part of human identity.