Samuel Brittan

In the following viewpoint, Samuel Brittan maintains that, throughout human history, religion has often been a divisive and destructive force. The author lists incidents of religiously inspired war, violence, and intolerance, and claims that Muslims, Christians, and Jews have all committed such acts in the name of religion. Brittan maintains that the perpetrators of religious violence are usually not misinterpreting the lessons of their faiths but rather following the darker teachings found in most religions. Samuel Brittan is a columnist for the Financial Times. He has served as a professor of law and politics and is the author of Essays, Moral, Political and Economic.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What historical examples does the author use to show that Protestants have committed religiously inspired violence?
2. What example does the author give of Jewish groups...