Throughout history, religion has served as both a guiding light and a weapon of control. While many faiths preach peace, love, and spiritual enlightenment, their sacred texts also contain passages that endorse violence, oppression, and rigid social hierarchies. The table below examines key doctrines from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism—highlighting how each tradition has, at times, justified slavery, religious warfare, gender subjugation, and harsh punishments. Though interpretations vary and many believers reject these aspects today, the presence of such verses in foundational scriptures has shaped civilizations, influenced laws, and, in some cases, fueled extremism. Understanding these texts is crucial in dissecting how religion has been used to justify both righteousness and repression throughout the ages.
| Aspect | Christianity (Bible) |
Islam (Quran & Hadith) |
Hinduism (Vedas, Manusmriti) | Buddhism (Tripitaka, Various Sutras) | Judaism (Torah, Talmud) |
| Slavery | Exodus 21:7-11, Leviticus 25:44-46 – Permits slavery | Quran 4:24, Hadith Bukhari 34:432 – Permits slavery | Manusmriti 8:415 – Slaves must obey masters | No endorsement of slavery; early Buddhist communities had servants | Exodus 21:2-6 – Allows Hebrew slavery with conditions |
| Beating Women | Ephesians 5:22, 1 Timothy 2:12 – Women must submit | Quran 4:34 – Men may ‘strike’ disobedient wives | Manusmriti 9:3 – Women should always be under male authority | Buddhist texts encourage respect for women, but patriarchal structures existed | Genesis 3:16 – Women should obey their husbands |
| Violence Against Non-Believers |
Deuteronomy 20:16-17, Matthew 10:34-36 – Kill non-believers, bring a sword | Quran 9:5, 8:12 – Kill unbelievers, strike their necks | Bhagavad Gita 16:9-12 – Enemies of Dharma should be destroyed | No direct encouragement of violence, but Buddhist rulers have waged wars | Deuteronomy 7:1-2 – Command to destroy enemy nations |
| Punishment for Apostasy | Deuteronomy 13:6-10 – Death for worshiping other gods | Hadith Abu Dawood 4356 – Death for apostasy | No direct scriptural death penalty, but caste-based discrimination existed | Generally opposes execution for apostasy; focus on self-discipline | Deuteronomy 13:6-10 – Death penalty for worshiping other gods |
| Genocide and Mass Killing | 1 Samuel 15:3 – Kill Amalekites, including infants | Quran 2:191, Hadith Bukhari 52:256 – Kill enemies of Islam | Mahabharata & Ramayana contain mass killings in wars | Buddhist texts condemn killing, but some rulers justified violence | Numbers 31:17-18 – Mass killings of enemies |
| Sexual Slavery | Numbers 31:17-18 – Kill men, take virgin girls as captives | Quran 4:3, Hadith Muslim 3371 – Taking female captives | No direct mention, but women captured in war were often enslaved | No scriptural endorsement of sexual slavery | Deuteronomy 21:10-14 – Allows taking women in war |
| Child Marriage | Arranged marriages in biblical times, no direct verse | Hadith Bukhari 5133 – Muhammad consummated marriage with Aisha at age 9 | Manusmriti 9:94 – Encourages early marriage for girls | Buddhism discourages forced marriages; varies by culture | Talmud allows betrothal at young ages; varies by culture |
| Warfare and Holy War | Luke 22:36 – Buy swords; Old Testament justifies war | Quran 9:29 – War against those who do not submit | Bhagavad Gita 2:31-33 – Warriors must fight for Dharma | Buddhist teachings generally oppose warfare | Book of Joshua describes many wars of conquest |
| Treatment of Homosexuality | Leviticus 20:13 – Death penalty for homosexual acts | Hadith Abu Dawood 4462 – Death for homosexuality | Manusmriti 8:370 – Prescribes punishments for homosexual acts | Traditional Buddhist cultures discourage homosexuality but do not prescribe death | Leviticus 18:22 – Homosexuality is an abomination |
| Obedience to Authority | Romans 13:1-2 – Obey governing authorities | Sharia law enforces strict obedience to rulers | Manusmriti 7:14-15 – Rulers must be obeyed as divine representatives | Buddhism emphasizes personal enlightenment over government authority | Torah commands obedience to priests and kings |
| Eternal Punishment | Revelation 21:8 – Unbelievers burn in fire | Quran 9:29 – Fight those who do not believe until they pay Jizya | Garuda Purana 5:22 – Sinners are punished in hell | Buddhist hells exist, but punishment is temporary, not eternal | Jewish texts mention punishment after death but vary on details |
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