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strife in the world today. Whether it is the WTC episode of September 11 or Terrorist strikes in India and Indonesia, they have a common message for all of us. Religious expansionist ambition and religious intolerance mean war,
terrorism, conflict and strife.
Besides these major causes of conflict there are some more that must not be overlooked if we aim at a world at peace with itself. They are as under: - A. Egocentric Approach - When an individual or a group
starts thinking that what it thinks or believes in is the only right thing, everything else is wrong, it spells trouble for every other individual and group may also think likewise and the conflict becomes inevitable. Such approach is called absolutist approach and is a surest cause of conflict. All the religious discord and animosities between the followers of different creeds from times immemorial including the religious wars and campaigns
are witness to conflicts arising from this mentality. B. Economic Inequity - Wealth when concentrated in the
hands of some classes, attracts the envious attention of the deprived masses. The root cause of this inequity is
greed. C. Tensions – Undue ambition, extravagance and lack of
understanding results in tensions, which when left unresolved manifest themselves in the form of psychopathic disorders and violent expressions. They
shatter peace and tranquillity and make lives miserable. D. Unethical Applications Of Science And Technology –
Scientific and technological advancements were meant to be boons for humanity in particular and for the other forms of life on the planet in general. Instead their unethical application has resulted in the development of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons of mass
348 : JAINISM: THE CREED FOR ALL TIMES
