Religion and Politics: A Complex Relationship
For over a thousand years, humanity has seen the public domain impact of the world's prevalent faiths. Religion and politics have a complicated history. Politics, according to others, is a "dirty game" that can only tarnish the church's reputation. However, the role of religion in public life is one that cannot be overlooked.
Religious Influence on Politics in the United States
Religious figures have their perspectives on different facets of politics. Although many people equate religion with a stronger impact on politics in less-developed countries, religion still has a strong influence on politics in the United States. This could be attributed to the religious foundation of the country and the fact that most Americans identify with a particular religion. According to Wald (2003), "82 percent of Americans identify with a particular religion with 79 percent of the respondents maintaining that religion is a major component of the society. The religious sentiment is so ingrained in society that its effects cannot help but be seen in the political arena." Public debates on abortion, contraceptives, capital punishment, and same-sex marriages have seen religion and politics intersect frequently. Religious influence is also evident when it comes to personal political views and even public participation. The influence of religion on politics is undeniably strong. However, the consequences of this relationship are often negative, which affects the growth and development of a nation.
The Negative Impact of Religion on Politics
Religion gives people a "sense of belonging" which is important in upholding the nature of mankind. The purpose and moral obligations stipulated in a religion's creed usually play a significant role in influencing how people think and make decisions and, in essence, the direction of their actions. In the case of strict followers, religion is the major influence in their everyday life. However, religion also causes divisions within a society, especially between believers and non-believers or even at times within the religion itself. The aftermath of such divisions is usually disastrous, with war and strife. There are many cases in history where the influence of religion on politics has been the primary cause of war. This applies in particular to the Islamic nation. In Islam, you cannot separate religion from politics because sharia law, which is derived from the Quran, is the law of the land. War, in this case, is mainly based on religious faith, which is a perfect illustration of the negative influence of religion on politics. "There is a political claim of universal scope, based not on the reciprocal agreement, but upon the Islamic faith in the sovereign will of God" (Davis, 1994). This is not limited to Islam since the same has been observed in Christianity, especially during the World Wars of the 20th century. There are salient examples of clergymen encouraging and empowering people to go to war. This gave ground for politicians to justify war and attract thousands to the armed forces.
Religion as a Barrier to Societal Change
In some cases, religion is also a negative influence when it comes to change in society. There are situations where maintaining the status quo serves the best interests of the standing government and religious establishments. The two form alliances with the sole purpose of blocking changes that could actually improve the lives of ordinary citizens. This can be illustrated by Connecticut's former anti-contraceptive law. Due to the influence of the Catholic Church, which is predominant in the state, the effect of religion on politics resulted in a law that prohibited married couples from purchasing and using contraceptives. The issue of class movement is also one that can be explained by the negative influence of religion on politics. Religious teachings may discourage the movement of the masses by insisting that people ought to be satisfied with the status quo, which applies even to individuals living in abject poverty (Mofidi, 2013).
Segmenting Influence of Religion on Society
Another aspect of the negative influence of religion on politics is with regard to the segmenting influence in society. It is common for religion to be in competition with other social institutions, such as standing governments, for followers. The result is usually extreme divisions in society. Religious establishments enhance this by enhancing social stratification and discrimination based on race/ethnicity. In the United States, this was observed several times in the 20th century. In 1928, for example, Alfred E. Smith lost by a landslide in the Presidential elections. This was largely attributed to the fact that he was Catholic and a descendant of Catholic immigrants. This divisive use of religion by Protestants to influence politics illustrates the negative influence that religion can have on existing stereotypes and essentially national cohesion.
The Impact of Religion on Politics: A Summary
Proponents of the active involvement of religion in politics have argued that it is necessary since it enhances morals within a society and ensures that leaders are accountable once elected. However, despite the positive impact with regard to morals, developed nations which are less religious have illustrated proper governance and accountability as compared to countries that are highly religious (Lee, 2015). The divisiveness brought about by religion usually negates the positive impacts since it leads to discrimination and even war in the worst of circumstances.
Religion is an important social institution with its role in the social well-being of individuals being undeniable. However, the intersection between religion and politics usually impacts society negatively. In such circumstances, the beliefs of a group of people are imposed on the whole society, which is unfair. The world would be a better place if religious establishments maintained their social role without trying to influence the political discourse of the entire country.
References
Davis, C. (1994). Religion and Making Society: Essays in Social Theology. Cambridge University Press.
Lee, A. (2015). If Peace on earth is our goal, atheism might be the means to that end. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/06/peace-on-earth-atheism
Mofidi, S. (2013). The Negative Aspects of Political Function of Religion: An Overview. International Journal of Political Science, Law, and International Relations, 3(2), 33- 40.
Wald, K.D. (2003). Religion and Politics in the United States. 4th ed. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
