Why is there conflict between the three monotheistic religions?

Answer 1

You only truly fear that which can destroy you. More accurately, you only fear that which you believe can destroy you.

I'll use the example of the Crusades, because it's a good one. During the Middle Ages, Islam was what Rome had been before. The Arab world was the frontier of technology, philosophy, culture and society. Christendom (in this case, Europe) was decidedly not.

The leaders of the Catholic Church saw Islam as a threat to them. Serfs knowing about things like "another way of life" is bad for feudalism. Feudalism works as long as the people at the bottom believe they have no choice but to stay at the bottom. Another thing that helps feudalism is the belief that, after this life, there's a better one. People at the bottom of feudalism live, shall we say, rough lives. The promise of a better one later if they did what they were told made them do what they were told. Christianity promised such a thing. So did Islam.

The difference is that more Muslims could read, and they knew that their sacred book didn't say they could only get into heaven if they stayed in line and did what they were told. If many Europeans were to go to the Middle East, and see that there were people all over the place, not necessarily doing every last thing they were told, they might get it into their heads that maybe things could be like this back in Europe too. That would be bad for the Church, as they existed comfortably largely because people believed what they told them to believe.

In order to keep things under control, the church issued a statement saying "to kill an infidel is the path to Heaven." Most of the people in Europe (being only lightly sprinkled with education) said "what's an infidel?" After a brief pause, the Church pointed south-east and said "them!" With baited breath, the Church watched as all of Christendom prepared for war. Not until things were in full swing did they dare turn to each other and whisper "it worked!"

Anyway. That answers your question like this: conflict happens because the people at the top tell the people at the bottom that they ought to hate the people next door. The people at the bottom believe that the people at the top have their best interest at heart, so they don't think to hard before they start to hate the people next door.

So, the short answer to your short question is: lack of education. People don't (or can't) read their Bibles (or other holy books) for themselves. They take it for granted that The Bible says you should hate Muslims or that the Qo'ran says that you should hate Christians (when neither of them says any such thing) because that's what the guy who can read says it says. People don't know what the book says, so they listen to the guy who does. The guy who does has his own agenda.

Answer 2

There are many causes of religous wars. It can be because one race may feel superior and what control over another race or religion, because two religions contradict each other and one wants to be known as the correct one. It could be because many one race accusses another of being sacraligious. There are many more ways these wars can be started and i guess the overall awnser to your question would be it depends on which war we are talking about

Answer 3

They all believe that their own prophets are right and that the others are wrong.

Due to the mythology of the Torah/Bible/qu'ran they believe that anyone claiming to be a prophet must be evil as they are attempting to lead people away from their own religion.

Conflict between Jews and Christians exists because the Christians believe that Jesus was the messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Torah while the Jews do not.

Many Christians see the refusal of the Jews to accept Jesus as an affront, the Jews are effectively calling Christians deluded.

While the Jews see the Christian acceptance of Jesus as heresy which belittles Judaism and leads people away from God.

The reasons for conflict between Christianity and Islam and between Judaism and Islam are the same reasons for the conflict between Christianity and Judaism.

It should also be noted that there are passages of scripture in all three religions that directly encourage violence against infidels (non believers)

sometimes through allegory and sometimes as direct commands of God.

People who pay over much attention to these passages tend to miss the over riding message of theses religions which is commonly interpreted as being peaceful and/or loving. It is failure to realize this message that at the root causes conflict.

Answer 4

Very basically, each believes in their idea of God and His prophets. Though some of the prophets overlap into each, Judaism still awaits the Messiah, Christianity believs the Messiah has already come as the Son of God and will come again to Judge all mankind, while Islam believes their prophet Muhammed is above all others.