Sadly, religion can cause individuals to commit acts of violence. A recent conflict over religion caused 12 Christian individuals to nearly lose their lives when they would not recite the words, “Praise Allah or die.” There were a group of Muslim individuals who demanded the Christians say these words, and when the Christians refused it caused 15 Muslim individuals to commit an act of violence.
When the 12 Christians would not recite these words, 15 Muslim immigrants from Africa threw them overboard into the Mediterranean Sea. The remaining Christian individuals who were left on the boat were not thrown overboard because they formed a “human chain,” which prevented the Muslim suspects from throwing them into the sea.
The vessel was a makeshift boat was one of several, which was carrying passengers who were attempting to make an escape from the impoverished and war-stricken countries of Africa to Europe. The makeshift boat was reported to have left Libya on Tuesday. According to the Times of Israel, more than 20,000 individuals have tried to escape from Africa to Italy in 2015.
After the Italian police learned of the attack, from witnesses who were rescued by an Italian naval vessel, they intervened and detained the 15 Muslim individuals who were suspected of throwing the Christian individuals into the Mediterranean Sea. The individuals who were detained are Muslims from the Ivory Coast, Mali, and Senegal. Although the Christian individuals knew they could lose their lives, they refused to succumb to the demands of the Muslim suspects.