Wars, terrorism, aggressive intolerance, social violence have accompanied humanity throughout history. Is religion to blame, which is increasingly being blamed for this? History from the Stone Age to the present day reveals a complex picture. Embedded in the state apparatus, religion already in the early agricultural societies turns into an instrument of social suppression. Many crimes are committed in the name of religion; colonization and slavery, pogroms and terrorist attacks were justified by it. And at the same time, from century to century, faith softens morals and teaches us to see our neighbor not only in the same blood. Religion owes humanity the fact that it has become humanity without being stuck on a level of barbarism, where every tribe is surrounded by hostile tribes. This fascinating study of the history of religious wars and the role of religion in power and politics, written by world-renowned religious scholar Karen Armstrong, is a deep and unbiased account of the experience of various religions: paganism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam.