--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All religious wars are about people…" description: "\"All religious wars are about people arguing over who has the biggest invisible friend.\" — Yasser Arafat" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/yasser-arafat-6821_arguing_all-religious-wars-are-about-people-argu_2506093.jpg" --- # All religious wars are about people arguing over who has… ![“All religious wars are about people arguing over who has the biggest invisible friend.” quote by Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/yasser-arafat-6821_arguing_all-religious-wars-are-about-people-argu_2506093.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/yasser-arafat-6821_arguing_all-religious-wars-are-about-people-argu_2506093.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/yasser-arafat-6821_arguing_all-religious-wars-are-about-people-argu_2506093.jpg) > “All religious wars are about people arguing over who has the biggest invisible friend.” [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religious conflicts often mask deeper power struggles and identity battles, reducing complex issues to simplistic divine competition. **In simple terms:** Wars framed as faith fights hide political motives. Key Takeaway Address underlying political grievances. Themes religion conflict identity politics power Mood somber analytical Type political critical When to use this quote - peace negotiations - interfaith dialogues - policy making - educational curricula Key Concepts theology geopolitics social identity theory Questions to Reflect On - What non‑religious factors drive the conflict? - How can dialogue move beyond religious framing? A Different Perspective Reducing wars to “invisible friends” oversimplifies causes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious wars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-wars/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [I'd much rather have 15 people arguing about something than 15 people splitting into two camps, each side convinced it's right and not talking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-d-much-rather-have-15-people-arguing-about-something-than-15-people/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [People are always arguing: New York or L.A.? They're both great places, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/people-are-always-arguing-new-york-or-l-a-they-re-both-great-places/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [You have to understand, writing a novel gets very weird and invisible-friend-from-childhood-ish. Then you kill that thing, which was never really alive except in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/you-have-to-understand-writing-a-novel-gets-very-weird-and-invisible/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [“I miss my invisible friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/i-miss-my-invisible-friend/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [I have an invisible friend that stands beside me wherever I go. He loves me and takes care of me and helps me though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/i-have-an-invisible-friend-that-stands-beside-me-wherever-i-go-he/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The only part of an argument that really matters is what we think of the people arguing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-part-of-an-argument-that-really-matters-is-what-we-think-of-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are so many people who are arguing or fighting over issues which don't have much relevance. We must all realise it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalpana-chawla/there-are-so-many-people-who-are-arguing-or-fighting-over-issues-2/) [Kalpana Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalpana-chawla/) > [When two people are arguing about who loves the other person most, the one who first gives up, wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-two-people-are-arguing-about-who-loves-the-other-person-most-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Republican candidates had to appeal to their base, which is by and large elderly white people arguing with empty chairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/republican-candidates-had-to-appeal-to-their-base-which-is-by-and/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [If two people are arguing & one person says, You know what... Just sit back & enjoy. Trust me that argument is about to get awesome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/if-two-people-are-arguing-one-person-says-you-know-what-just-sit-back/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Without agreement you just have people arguing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/without-agreement-you-just-have-people-arguing/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [All in the Family' was such a mean-spirited show. There was no humanity there - just a bunch of people arguing about the issues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demond-wilson/all-in-the-family-was-such-a-mean-spirited-show-there-was-no-humanity/) [Demond Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demond-wilson/) > [If you listen to two people who are arguing about something, and they each of them have passionate faith that they're right, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/if-you-listen-to-two-people-who-are-arguing-about-something-and-they/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [“There are so many people who are arguing or fighting over issues which don’t have much relevance. We must all realise it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalpana-chawla/there-are-so-many-people-who-are-arguing-or-fighting-over-issues/) [Kalpana Chawla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalpana-chawla/) > [We have a war on women, race wars. Income wars, age wars, religious wars, anything you can imagine. A house divided against itself cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/we-have-a-war-on-women-race-wars-income-wars-age-wars-religious-wars/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) ## More by Yasser Arafat > [We plan to eliminate the state of Israel and establish a purely Palestinian state. We will make life unbearable for Jews by psychological warfare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/we-plan-to-eliminate-the-state-of-israel-and-establish-a-purely/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [Jordan recognizes that east Jerusalem is the capital of the Palestinian state and Jordan rejects foreign sovereignty -- Israeli sovereignty -- over the holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/jordan-recognizes-that-east-jerusalem-is-the-capital-of-the/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [We have absolute support from all our masses inside our occupied territories and even outside our occupied territories. The "War of the Camps" \[in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/we-have-absolute-support-from-all-our-masses-inside-our-occupied/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [The Israelis are mistaken if they think we do not have an alternative to negotiations. By Allah I swear they are wrong. The Palestinian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/the-israelis-are-mistaken-if-they-think-we-do-not-have-an-alternative/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [When American administration will find that their interest is to follow up with the international conference and to find peace in this area, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/when-american-administration-will-find-that-their-interest-is-to/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [We are a democratic - we are living in democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/we-are-a-democratic-we-are-living-in-democracy/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [I am challenging Ezer Weizman to accept the democratic state where both of us can live in this democratic state. What confederation? No. One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/i-am-challenging-ezer-weizman-to-accept-the-democratic-state-where/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [ When I made a big effort in '96 and it is not - I squeezed and I arrested a part of \[terroristic groups\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/when-i-made-a-big-effort-in-96-and-it-is-not-i-squeezed-and-i/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [Now you are trying to recover it through Irangate. I know that. But it will cost you a lot. And if you are speaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/now-you-are-trying-to-recover-it-through-irangate-i-know-that-but-it/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [ In 1982, when Alexander Haig and \[Ariel\] Sharon put this plan to invade the south of Lebanon and Beirut, they imagined that in two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/in-1982-when-alexander-haig-and-ariel-sharon-put-this-plan-to-invade/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [We completely condemn this very dangerous attack, and I convey my condolences to the American people, to the American president and to the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/we-completely-condemn-this-very-dangerous-attack-and-i-convey-my/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [I know the American administration is trying to refurbish its image after Irangate, especially in the Middle East and among their friends in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/i-know-the-american-administration-is-trying-to-refurbish-its-image/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [Peace for us means the destruction of Israel. We are preparing for an all-out war, a war which will last for generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/peace-for-us-means-the-destruction-of-israel-we-are-preparing-for-an/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [Since we cannot defeat Israel in war, we do this in stages. We take any and every territory that we can of Palestine, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/since-we-cannot-defeat-israel-in-war-we-do-this-in-stages-we-take-any/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) > [This child, who is grasping the stone, facing the tank, is it not the greatest message to the world when that hero becomes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/this-child-who-is-grasping-the-stone-facing-the-tank-is-it-not-the/) [Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) [Explore all 97 Yasser Arafat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/) ## More Arguing quotes > [I do wish you wouldn't argue with me when I'm knitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-durrell/i-do-wish-you-wouldn-t-argue-with-me-when-i-m-knitting/) [Gerald Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-durrell/) > [Any comprehensive doctrine, religious or secular, can be introduced into any political argument at any time, but I argue that people who do this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rawls/any-comprehensive-doctrine-religious-or-secular-can-be-introduced/) [John Rawls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rawls/) > [It's fine to talk about politics with people you agree with. But it is rude to argue about politics with people you disagree with.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-lessig/it-s-fine-to-talk-about-politics-with-people-you-agree-with-but-it-is/) [Lawrence Lessig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-lessig/) > [Men are fair, and they have learned not to personalize anger - they can disagree with you and argue to the bone, but afterward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/men-are-fair-and-they-have-learned-not-to-personalize-anger-they-can/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Fasting is required, staying away from fighting and arguing and bombing of masjids is still going on. Hatred is still manifested between Sunni and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/fasting-is-required-staying-away-from-fighting-and-arguing-and/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [The problem for the Left, however, is that the moment it stops painting the Right as vile, it has to argue the issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/the-problem-for-the-left-however-is-that-the-moment-it-stops-painting/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [To argue with a person who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/to-argue-with-a-person-who-has-renounced-the-use-of-reason-is-like/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [You can argue that the Terminator movies reboot their world each time they go back in time, but that doesn't negate the value of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hayter/you-can-argue-that-the-terminator-movies-reboot-their-world-each-time/) [David Hayter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hayter/) > [We may argue eloquently that 'Honesty is the best Policy' - unfortunately, the moment honesty is adopted for the sake of policy it mysteriously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/we-may-argue-eloquently-that-honesty-is-the-best-policy-unfortunately/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [I'm a very serious person, but I don't take myself very seriously and I would rather laugh all day than argue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-m-a-very-serious-person-but-i-don-t-take-myself-very-seriously-and/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [These eyes, tho' clear To outward view of blemish or of spot, Bereft of light, their seeing have forgot, Nor to their idle orbs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/these-eyes-tho-clear-to-outward-view-of-blemish-or-of-spot-bereft-of/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [There's crucial distinction that has to be drawn between the Shari'a, which is this hugely expansive vision of cosmic order that I've been describing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadakat-kadri/there-s-crucial-distinction-that-has-to-be-drawn-between-the-shari-a/) [Sadakat Kadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadakat-kadri/) > [Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/only-fools-argue-whether-to-eat-meat-or-not-they-don-t-understand/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [The surest sign that you haven't any sense is to argue with one who hasn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/the-surest-sign-that-you-haven-t-any-sense-is-to-argue-with-one-who/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) Browse all 1,908 Arguing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All religious wars are about people arguing over who has the biggest invisible friend.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Yasser Arafat" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/all-religious-wars-are-about-people-arguing-over-who-has-the-biggest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Arguing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/all-religious-wars-are-about-people-arguing-over-who-has-the-biggest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/yasser-arafat-6821_arguing_all-religious-wars-are-about-people-argu_2506093.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/yasser-arafat-6821_arguing_all-religious-wars-are-about-people-argu_2506093.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2be/yasser-arafat-6821_arguing_all-religious-wars-are-about-people-argu_2506093.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“All religious wars are about people arguing over who has the biggest invisible friend.” — Yasser Arafat", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Yasser Arafat", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "All religious wars are about people...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/all-religious-wars-are-about-people-arguing-over-who-has-the-biggest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/all-religious-wars-are-about-people-arguing-over-who-has-the-biggest/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```