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Religion and politics part 1 |
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Written by Reyne
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May 16, 2006 at 07:07 PM |
Religion is one of the most divisive subjects in this country. With a trend towards more religious conservatism, the liberals are bumbling to catch-up.
Religion is a controversial topic in politics and foreign affairs around the globe. Plato's Playground will address this issue in two articles. The first, this week's article, will address religion and politics in the United States. Next week's article will deal specifically with the often misunderstood religious war going on in the Middle East.
The line separating church from state only exists on paper and in the political battlegrounds. For good or evil, religion and politics are inextricably joined, which is the result of public demand. Around 72% of Americans believe that the president should have strong religious beliefs. A significant portion of Americans ( 41%) would like to see more faith and prayer expressed by political leaders. Such a link is rooted in history. Religion was invoked during the debates for women's suffrage and the civil rights movement. Similarly, religion is now being used for political leverage and moral guidance for modern issues like the right to die, abortion, and gay marriage. While there are many religious supporters (Evangelicals and the like), not all Americans are thrilled by the power of religion in politics. For instance, the majority of Americans ( 65%) do not believe Churches have a right to endorse political candidates. Thus, there is a great divide in the country between the religious right, those who wish for a more Christian country, and the religious liberals, those who believe that religion has no business influencing the laws of the state.
The clash between the two sides has created a bitter political battle that has produced far more insults than resolutions. The religious right accuses the religious liberals of being Godless and immoral, while the liberals write off the opposition by labeling them as ignorant, misinformed, or dumb. However, it is the liberals who are made to look stupid when the conservatives win key political battles. Make no mistake, liberals; the religious right has been steadily gaining political ground in this country. President Bush is a born again Christian. The two new Supreme Court justices are both religious. Gay marriage is illegal in every state except Massachusetts. Abortion rights are being eroded. The list goes on. In short, the liberals need a new tactic.
It is time for the liberals to stop the conservatives from dictating the battle lines and use some of the intellect that they claim to have in abundance. You cannot fight illogical, intolerant agendas by being illogical and intolerant yourself. That's like throwing a temper tantrum to calm down a three year old in the midst of a tantrum. The liberals are allowing themselves to be painted as unfriendly towards people with faith and hateful towards religions. Such a picture only works to deafen the religious right to any logical arguments for the political future of this country. The liberals must stop projecting a sense of intellectual elitism because they are failing miserably at beating the conservatives in the cerebral game of public relations. The liberals need to discover the real meaning of liberalism. It's quite easy to do so. A quick search in any dictionary will tell you that liberal means broad-minded and not bound by authoritarianism. Liberals must welcome the religious and non-religious equally. Instead of fighting religion, the liberals should fight injustice and indecency. It is time for the conservatives to be put on the defensive. They must answer for their intolerant political agenda and explain why it is for the good of this country to allow President Bush to turn his "if you're not with us, you're against us" message to "if you're not with us, you're against God."
We must not forget the wisdom of our founding fathers. The First Amendment to the Constitution made it clear that this was not to be a nation with a national religion like that of England. We the People should not help or hinder any religion, and in return, religion should stay out of politics and not impose its convictions on Us the People. Ultimately, religion only serves the political agenda of totalitarianism. Liberalism is a threat because it endangers the authority of the One God, the One Ruler, the One Faith, and the One Chosen Population.
Further Reading
The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life - Public Divided on Origins of Life
BBC News - Religion and politics in America
BBC News - Do religion and politics mix?
Plato's Playground - Steady erosion of Roe vs Wade
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