The issues, No. 25 - Religion and Politics

Yesterday I talked about religion and how I believe it to be a destructive rather than a constructive force in society. Today I'm going a little further and talk about how I don't believe religion has any place in American politics or in our government.

WikipediA says, "Separation of church and state is a political and legal doctrine that government and religious institutions are to be kept separate and independent from each other" and "The concept of separating church and state is often credited to the writings of the British philosopher John Locke. According to his principle of the social contract, Locke argued that the government lacked authority in the realm of individual conscience, as this was something rational people could not cede to the government for it or others to control. For Locke, this created a natural right in the liberty of conscience, which he argued must therefore remain protected from any government authority. These views on religious tolerance and the importance of individual conscience, along with his social contract, became particularly influential in the American colonies and the drafting of the United States Constitution."

Today we have a number of politicians and at least one political party that appears to be desparately attempting to inflict its religious beliefs on our society by its stances on abortion and "family values" which are religious/moral issues which I believe to be items of "individual conscience" and should be left entirely out of the political arena. It is a real turn off to me when a politician, who represents all kinds of Americans, spouts off about his/her own personal religious beliefs and attempts to convince others that they should believe in them also. I believe the "religious right" which is backed by religious leaders of various religions, works with and attempts to influence politicians to include thier spin on issues before Congress and this is a direct violation of the doctrine of separation of church and state.

I expect my politicians to be moral and conscientious individuals who care about America and who are interested in making America better. I don't expect them, however, to be influenced in their legislative decisions by religion or what any religion thinks. I also don't want them to put their own religious beliefs above the beliefs of their constituents. And, I don't ever want a politician or a piece of legislation to tell me what and how to think about anything.