Religions of Peace

Kenton’s video dealing with the five most peaceful religions noticeably omits Judaism and Christianity.  

For a more nuanced and hopefully more objective ranking,  we asked ChatGPT to rank the top 20 most peaceful, non-violent religions.

(Note: The order is not an absolute ranking. Religions are highly diverse internally, and peaceful or violent behavior is influenced significantly by cultural, political, and historical contexts beyond doctrine alone.)

Top 20 Most Peaceful, Non-Violent Religions and Notable Departures:

1. Jainism
Doctrine: Strict non-violence (Ahimsa).
Departure: Minimal historical violence, though individual adherents have participated in nationalist conflicts in India despite Jainism’s clear pacifism.

2. Buddhism
Doctrine: Non-violence, compassion, mindfulness.
Departure: Violent persecution of Rohingya Muslims by Buddhist nationalists in Myanmar (2012-present).

3. Quakers (Religious Society of Friends)
Doctrine: Pacifism, non-aggression.
Departure: Rarely deviated, but individual Quakers have served in military or supported conflicts contrary to traditional Quaker teaching.

4. Bahá’í Faith
Doctrine: Universal peace, unity of humanity.
Departure: Extremely rare. Primarily victims of persecution rather than aggressors, though individuals in historically tense areas might deviate personally.

5. Sikhism
Doctrine: Compassion, equality, defense of the innocent.
Departure: Militancy in late 20th-century Punjab, India (e.g., Khalistan movement, 1980s). Often interpreted as defensive violence.

6. Christianity (Anabaptist traditions: Mennonites, Amish)
Doctrine: Radical pacifism, turning the other cheek.
Departure: Very minimal. Occasional domestic violence or isolated incidents, though rare and condemned by community.

7. Taoism
Doctrine: Harmony, balance, non-contention (wu wei).
Departure: Generally peaceful; occasionally involved in rebellion or political conflict historically (Yellow Turban Rebellion, 184 CE China).

8. Hinduism (particularly Advaita Vedanta and Vaishnavism)
Doctrine: Ahimsa, non-harming living beings, spiritual harmony.
Departure: Violence against Muslims in Gujarat riots (2002); also Hindu nationalism violence against minorities (e.g., Muslims, Christians).

9. Christianity (mainstream Protestant denominations: Methodist, Presbyterian)
Doctrine: Peace, forgiveness, reconciliation.
Departure: Sectarian violence in Northern Ireland (1969–1998), Protestants vs. Catholics (The Troubles).

10. Catholic Christianity
Doctrine: Peace, love, forgiveness, sanctity of life.
Departure: Portuguese Inquisition in Goa, India (1560–1812), violently persecuting Hindus and non-Christians.

11. Judaism
Doctrine: Justice, peace, ethical living, Tikkun Olam (repairing the world).
Departure: Instances of violence by extremist settler movements in occupied territories; Baruch Goldstein massacre (1994, Hebron).

12. Confucianism
Doctrine: Social harmony, ethical leadership, humane governance.
Departure: Historical use by imperial China’s dynasties to justify warfare or repression despite doctrine.

13. Sufism (mystical Islam)
Doctrine: Spiritual love, tolerance, non-violence.
Departure: Rare; some historical sectarian clashes or armed resistance movements involving Sufi groups against oppressive governments.

14. Zoroastrianism
Doctrine: Ethical dualism, good thoughts, good words, good deeds.
Departure: Historically peaceful, though Persian empires (pre-Islamic era) that promoted Zoroastrianism engaged in wars, e.g., Sassanian wars.

15. Rastafari
Doctrine: Non-violence, harmony, unity, resistance through peaceful means.
Departure: Minimal violence historically; some isolated incidents involving Rastafarian followers clashing with authorities in Jamaica.

16. Unitarian Universalism
Doctrine: Peaceful coexistence, inclusivity, social justice.
Departure: Virtually none; isolated individuals may have deviated from doctrine, though rarely violent.

17. Cao Dai (Vietnam)
Doctrine: Universal harmony, blending religious teachings for global peace.
Departure: Minimal; limited historical violence mainly related to broader Vietnamese conflicts rather than doctrine itself.

18. Shinto
Doctrine: Purity, harmony with nature.
Departure: Imperial Japan’s militarism during WWII, using Shinto symbolism and beliefs to justify war and expansion.

19. Neo-Pagan/Wicca
Doctrine: Non-harm (“An it harm none, do as ye will”), harmony with nature.
Departure: Rare, though isolated cases exist where individuals acted violently, typically strongly condemned by broader community.

20. Christianity (Seventh-day Adventist)
Doctrine: Health, peaceful living, avoidance of conflict.
Departure: Rare deviations; individuals occasionally involved in isolated domestic violence incidents against doctrine.

📌 Notable Examples of Violent Departures from Doctrine:

Conclusion:

Virtually all religions espouse peace, yet historical circumstances, nationalism, politics, or misinterpretations have sometimes led adherents astray.

Jainism, Buddhism, Quakers, and Bahá’ís are among the most consistently peaceful doctrines.

Larger religions (Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism) have occasionally experienced significant violent departures due to cultural, political, or nationalist forces.

Doctrinally peaceful religions still occasionally experience historical and contextual departures from their teachings, primarily driven by political, cultural, or social factors, rather than core religious teachings themselves.