On the Linguistic Construction of Religiously Based Power Asymmetries

Abstract

From the purpose of religions to provide a meaning to ones life and to civilize man there are often only a few steps to the abuse of religion. This abuse might be the violent enforcement of one's own religion or the merely rhetorical use of religious language to legitimize violence.

The contribution is an attempt to shed light on the ability of religious language and how it can either empower or restrict the power of people.

Keywords

• Violence
• religious speech
• power of articulation
• Jürgen Habermas
• empowerment
• disempowerment.