The place of Religion in Politics
Posted by: Tash001
28th Sep 2013 01:29pm
Do you believe that in today's western and supposed secular society religion has a place in politics?
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Comments 10
Moongold
If it's relating to the Christian religion, Christ clearly stipulated that religion and politics were to always and forever be separated. The trouble with combining Church and State is that a wealthy and powerful organisation such as the Roman Catholic one can and will wield power over the government in power to impose penalties, even death penalties (which it has done in the past and peculiarly believes it has the right to do at any time). Jesus clearly said that we are to 'render unto Caesar (I.e. the governing authority, government) "the things that are Caesar's" (civil law, obeying statutory laws etc wherever we live) - and unto God the things that are God's." Matthew 22:21. Christians are never to place the laws of men above God's Laws, however. If a law is contradictory to God's laws, a Christian is bound to obey God's laws and instructions, for his own good and the good of others.
cooliosmooth
Religion should be the foundation of all political decisions.
Many at the moment are - however - many are being rooted out of the government policies (ie. Homosexual marriage).
You cannot take away the foundation of a structure and still have it stand in place.
Religion has been the foundation of many government policies and humanity has held itself together for the most part.
WWI & WWII would never have happened if governments and peoples stuck to the religious moral code endorsed by religious institutions.
scoulj
Our laws are based in religion and our history is mostly driven by it. The abolition of the slave trade was driven in main part by the people who believed that God created all men equally, William Wilberforce, John Newton (ex-slave trader and author of Amazing Grace). The reform of prisons and the idea that prisoners could be rehabilitated was founded in most part by Bettsy Fry, who went into women's prisons to preach the gospel and improved the standard of life for those imprisoned. Florence Nightingale built on her work and make nursing a respectable career for women. The RSPCA in England was founded by Richard Martin, William Wilberforce and Rev Arthur Broom on the basis of Christian values that God set man to care for his creation and the creatures in it. All these people changed the laws and changed society, their faith drove their politics, not to force their religion on others but to change the laws to do what they knew to be right. People tend to focus on the times when people have used their faith to bring in oppressive laws, they tend to leave out examples like this. A persons faith effects the way they view the world and to say you need to leave your world view and your idea of right and wrong at the door is nonsense. How are people to judge things but by what they know to be right. We just need to ensure there is a good mix of views in the parliament so that all views are expressed.
Wessex
Many people were raised on the dictum "you never talk politics or religion" I am now of the view that there is nothing more important in the sense that politics and religion are about what you do and why you do it. There is no real compartmentalizing our brains when it comes to our basic beliefs. People in politics (and the rest of us) will always be guided by their belief system and world view whether it contains God or not.
Kessa1959
Actually yes I do. I think that it's because of our decline in Christianity that we have less respect for each other. Australia used to be a Christian country but there seems to be a parallel with declining values and lack of the population following the Christian way of life.
iain_lmta
No, not in the least.
Brian1951
yes
BIGTED 1954
Religion does not have a place in politics because none of them can tell the truth and if they say there is they are hypocrites on all sides
Ernie
No more than politics has a place in religion.
Religion has always prostituted itself to politics.. The interesting thing is that the Bible predicts that the political system in the world will turn on and destroy the religious systems. (Rev. 17 & 18)
wendel
Guess there are cross over points where religioun can influence our political system. Hard one to actually judge on.