Fatal Addiction

How could it be that my nation, one of the most religious countries in the world, is also the most violent? Do God and war define the American spirit as much as apple pie and baseball? A'A Fatal AddictionA' explores the A'violence of GodA' tradition as it exists in all religions (including Buddhism), and then examines how this dynamic is flipped, with political leaders using spiritual and religious language to sell war to the general public. Although God and religion have often been used to sell war in the United States, this has been especially true since 9/11/01. After surveying the relationship of war and the spiritual quest in the major world religions, this study concludes with an overview of how that dynamic has affected the contemporary American public discourse on war.