The manipulation of religious feelings as a determinant of social conflicts: A case study of Nigeria

Abstract

Historically viewed, religion has had a role to overcome social conflicts and promote peace among opposing parties. However, it has often known to transform into the role of a direct or indirect cause of some form of violence. Therefore, the subject of the research in this paper is the correlation of social conflicts and religious determinants as their causes, among which the manipulation of religious feelings has a special place. The central topic of the paper is the manipulation of religious feelings, i.e. the methods and techniques used by these subjects to recruit new soldiers of religiosity, with the ultimate goal of gaining supremacy by force over the opposing party, in this case religion. Accordingly, such relations have been analysed in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where, in addition to Christianity and Islam, as two dominant religions, there are several other local religions that together, for decades, have been in an open conflict for supremacy. In this regard, the consideration of the historical context of this type of conflict in Nigeria should indicate the main motives in its background, goals to be achieved in this manner, as well as answers to the question of whether believers, who, according to the postulates of both religions, should always be on the path of peace, in fact are abused through individual or systemic manipulation.