What does religion have to do with politics?

[usabasketball08]

Just curious, what does religion have to do with politics?

I'm just tired of people using the bible as the framework for American values. (People I personally know.)

From what I know, the bible hasn't been proven to be 100% true.

I also believe that the bible has been altered (not too much, but slightly) over the centuries.

My other question is, how can you base ethics off of a book that hasn't even been proven to be factual information?

I am not trying to start an argument and I'm completely open to other views. I just want other opinions to better educate myself on this matter.

 

[futuremd]

Both everything and nothing.

Once you (like I do) break people's understanding that you don't need religion to have morals (whatever those are) then the conversation then turns into a debate of the philosophy of ethics and how much control we think we should give those principles. 

One thing is demonstrably true, this is not a christian nation. Period. 

And everything you said about the bible is true. Through and through. 

 

[airthompson]

They throw religion around to show they're good people that can be trusted. Which is ironic.

 

[futuremd]

They're going to mention that Obama didn't mention religion and claim hes against America. 

And I happen to think that Obama is a closet non-believer...but thats a whole other topic. 

 

[antonlavey]

Politics has always used religion as a tool to control the impressionable, uneducated masses. Tell people you're being attacked, give them a common enemy, tell them God hates that enemy=Successfully created a nation full of puppets to do you dirty work.

 

[mycoldyourdone]

Nothing. For the idiot vote. So everything.

 

[SoleByThePound]

It's a very touchy subject with the people so it's used in politics as nothing more than a dividing catalyst.
 

 

[futuremd]

Furthermore, if you're poor, your life sucks, and you have poor health appealing to religion helps to give people some common thread instead of appealing to their mere mortality. 

Additionally, especially in the black community, religious organizations play a significant part in mobilizing entire groups of people and can often serve as the center of political action. 

 

[futuremd]

Politics has always used religion as a tool to control the impressionable, uneducated masses. Tell people you're being attacked, give them a common enemy, tell them God hates that enemy=Successfully created a nation full of puppets to do you dirty work.

“Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

- Hermann Goering

 

[so nyuh shi dae]

the christian majority has controlled politics for so long and they're not giving up without a fight.

i mean, let's just look at gay marriage. i don't care whether you support or oppose it, there is no reason for it to be outlawed.

 

[superblytrife]

Not a damn thing.  Or at least it shouldn't here in America.  

I definitely can't respect folks who vote for a candidate based on religious reasons.  Sadly, there are quite a few people I know who do just that.  Which is ironic where I live b/c around here, the same people voting for a Mormon and Catholic (you know...NOT Christians in the biblical sense of the word), are the same folks who coined Obama as a Muslim and therefore didn't vote for him.  So Mormons and Catholics are cool now, evangelicals?      

I have no issue with people being religious, but the leader of EVERYONE in America shouldn't use their position to push an agenda.  If anything, say "I believe in God" and keep it movin'.  I like how Biden answered the faith question in his debate.  He explained what he believed, but then let us know that he wouldn't impose his beliefs on everyone else.  For me, that's the extent that religion should play in politics.     

 

[39478]

I think religion matters to people in politics because I think generally people believe religion to shape a person's moral standards and what kind of person they are.

I know some of you are saying that religion shouldn't have any say in morals and what not, but you cannot deny the effect it has with how people view candidates for different political positions.

 

[sonoftony]

religion prevents people from making logical decisions IMO.

 

[futuremd]

I think religion matters to people in politics because I think generally people believe religion to shape a person's moral standards and what kind of person they are.

I know some of you are saying that religion shouldn't have any say in morals and what not, but you cannot deny the effect it has with how people view candidates for different political positions.

You have to remember that they don't even follow their religious books. 

This is why its easier for me to respect a fundamentalist because at least they have unwavering support for their religious views. 

However, moderates seem to unknowingly pick and choose what they want to follow and they don't realize that when they do that they're using THEIR OWN morality to determine what to follow or not to follow. 

Religious people have their own morality and look to religious to validate various parts of it. 

 

[lobotomybeats]

Sadly, it has entirely too much to do with politics. Especially considering Supreme Court judges aren't elected, but appointed. That's scary to me.

 

[picknroll24]

religion prevents people from making logical decisions IMO.

Some people don't have the capacity to make logical decisions so they turn to religion

 

[antonlavey]

They're going to mention that Obama didn't mention religion and claim hes against America. 

And I happen to think that Obama is a closet non-believer...but thats a whole other topic. 

He's clearly an atheist, but this country hasn't made enough progress to accept an openly non-religious leader. Dude has a hard enough time fighting the stigma associated with his background and his connection to Islam and the anti-Christ. If he runs as an atheist he will lose the black/latino vote.

 

[illoquent aka dsk]

5 posts already b.

 

[weekz]

Religion can be used to form common ground with constituents and while church and state should be separate the divide is more a blur than a straight line.

 

[jpthe3]

because , i want to know what they believe in , before i hear them ,

 

[wr]

Nothing in public.

Granted politics is birthed out of religion.

Political allegiances are the modern form of cults and followers of greco- roman times.

To claim a certain religion was once treated as a statement of nationality or party favor.

But it is hard for our generation to understand these concepts because of all the political and religious theater we have observed in our present age, and the little that we are informed of about the past and how

things originally operated.

People nowadays have a relationship with religion that is almost benign in a sense to norms.

Plus our current era is very young.

Fighting between religious bodies as politico factions went on for thousands of years before we secularized everything and said " this has nothing to to do with that blah blah."

Our fractal perspective keeps us from seeing the big picture.

 

[futuremd]

Nothing in public.

Granted politics is birthed out of religion.

Political allegiances are the modern form of cults and followers of greco- roman times.

To claim a certain religion was once treated as a statement of nationality or party favor.

But it is hard for our generation to understand these concepts because of all the political and religious theater we have observed in our present age, and the little that we are informed of about the past and how

things originally operated.

People nowadays have a relationship with religion that is almost benign in a sense to norms.

Plus our current era is very young.

Fighting between religious bodies as politico factions went on for thousands of years before we secularized everything and said " this has nothing to to do with that blah blah."

Our fractal perspective keeps us from seeing the big picture.

The only thing I disagree with is your categorization of "religion"

See religion doesn't lend to the notion that you can change your mind on something. It claims and asserts absolute and final authority on a matter.

If you remove the restraints from ideas that are so ideologically binding, I think the freedom to move between less rigid boundaries is the main difference between secularism and theocratic means of government. 

 

[wr]

The only thing I disagree with is your categorization of "religion"

See religion doesn't lend to the notion that you can change your mind on something. It claims and asserts absolute and final authority on a matter.

If you remove the restraints from ideas that are so ideologically binding, I think the freedom to move between less rigid boundaries is the main difference between secularism and theocratic means of government. 

I agree.

I made a comment on this in another thread and stated that this is why religious organizations use their secular arms to interface with government.

 

[do work son]

FutureMD was the first response. shocking.

 

[shatterkneesinc]

Sadly, it has entirely too much to do with politics. Especially considering Supreme Court judges aren't elected, but appointed. That's scary to me.

\\

they are elected by the senate