I've often asked myself "Why do people kill for religion?" I got no reasonable answer and so, My fellow NairaLanders, I want to know your take on the subject...
WHAT MAKES PEOPLE REACT VEHEMENTLY SO VEHEMENTLY IN MATTERS CONCERNING RELIGION? WHAT MAKES YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR BELIEF?

Many factors are involved,but it's safe to say it starts from indoctrination, that-is :

Indoctrination means teaching someone to accept a set of beliefs without questioning them. http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/indoctrination

So what happens when someone is indoctrinated into a religion that promotes violence and harm towards others?... Since the belief can't be questioned and is used as a source of morality,then any heinous action can be justified with it..

That is the main reason nations that promote religious indoctrination(of violent religions) have higher crime and mortality rates as laws aren't based on secular ideals that can be discussed and changed but from a view that must never be questioned(else face the consequences attributed to disbelievers)

Then we have the promotion of racism, where just because you accept the theology, you're automatically labelled "superior" or "above" everyone else and so everyone else is beneath you and is deserving of whatever action that is permitted that you inflict on them based on theology.

So if enslavement, beheadings, torture, etc are permitted then the believer follows without question,due to indoctrination.

From there we have the promotion of ignorance, where those who "obey and ask questions later" or "obey before complain" are prided as disciples that each believer should follow..
So a religion that promotes or favours blind faith would have followers that are eager to perform any action(including murder) since it's prided as faithful obedience..


All of this revolves around indoctrination into a belief,and since a belief is regarded as a basis for how we interact with people and the environment, then it influences our actions to correspond with what is taught in the religion as moral or expected of you as a believer.