The Rohingya Conflict

Introduction

Since the dawn of time religion has affected humans in hundreds of ways. Religion has

shaped the course of human history itself. Religion liberates people, as well as imprisons them. It

uplifts as well as tears down. In part due to the complexity of religion and how it differs across

cultures and societies, scholars, researchers, and philosophers, are generally split into three

groups when it comes to defining religion: functional, faith based, and scientific materialism.

Sometimes unfortunately, the functional perspective doesnt also seem to work, as we see

currently in Myanmar with the Rohingya.

Myanmar is currently persecuting the Rohingya people and has been for the last half

century. This ethnic group has been denied citizenship since 1982, making it impossible for them

to rise out of extreme poverty. Recently violence erupted between police and the Rohingya that

has left over 1,0001 people dead. Previous to that the persecution was so bad that an estimated

1,000,000 people have fled the country since 1970.2

The country of Myanmar has a Buddhist majority. This is startling because Buddhism

teaches loving kindness among other things. It doesnt seem like loving kindness to allow such

things to occur. The Buddhist Temple I visited had a very calm welcoming feeling, and one

would have to ignore some very fundamental Buddhist teachings for such violence to occur.

In conclusion I feel that Religions do not always mix well with other religions, even

when the preach loving kindness or acceptance of others. Functionally speaking they fail at times

like this. But religion is more than just its function. Its hope for a better future.

1
Jazeera, Al. Myanmar: Who are the Rohingya? Asia Pacific | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 30 Nov.
2017
2
Ibid
Reflection

This course and this assignment in particular, made me think differently about the influence

religion can have on culture in the following ways:

Everyone thinks their religion is the right one. Who is to say which one is correct?

Furthermore, are any of them correct? Are they all correct in their own way? For the answer to

that, I feel like we need to look at religion through the lenses of the different theories on why

there is religion: faith based, scientific materialism, and functional.

This class has also changed my thinking because when I came into this class, I knew very

little about Eastern Religions and traditions. Theres much I still dont know, but I feel like this

class has helped me gain a greater understanding of the world.

In addition to that, I feel like this class has opened my eyes to new ways of thinking that I

previously had been unaware of. There are so many people that think differently than I do, and

thats fine, although it can be very challenging to my own faith.

 Works Cited

Jazeera, Al. Myanmar: Who are the Rohingya? Asia Pacific | Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 30 Nov.
2017, www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/08/rohingya-muslims-
170831065142812.html