In chapter five, Gulliver speaks for a while about the various causes of war, especially about how many wars take place as a result of a difference of opinion. Gulliver says, "Neither are any wars so furious and bloody, or of so long a continuance, as those occasioned by difference in opinion, especially if it be in things indifferent." In other words, the worst conflicts seem to be caused by mere differences of opinion.
I cannot help but connect this to modern American conflicts over religion. One person's choice to practice their religion has no effect on another person's choice to practice their religion; religious differences are differences of opinion, just like the kind Gulliver talks about when he mentions the wars fought over "whether flesh be bread, or bread be flesh; whether the juice of a certain berry be blood or wine." Here, he is referring to the battles fought between Protestants and Catholics in England. And while we are not fighting a civil war over religion in America, the amount of hurtful and prejudicial remarks made about certain religions in the political arena during this election year are shocking, and they are causing fear and offense and politically dividing Americans even more than we already are. One presidential candidate has even suggested that the United States prevent those who practice a certain religion from entering the country. Moreover, religion continues to motivate hate crimes in this country and inflammatory political speech such as what I allude to above only fuels this hatred and these conflicts.
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