Religion and Politics - The Majority Rules
Posted: Saturday, June 28, 2008
by Mark Parsec
Wordcasters
The question has been posed as to whether or not religion and moral views "should" be handled politically. However, before we can discuss what should be it would only be proper to discuss "what is" to establish a realistic context in which this subject may be approached.
Why is every session of Congress opened with prayer?
Why does the President of the United States place his right hand on the Bible when he is sworn in as President?
Why does our national coinage include the words, "In God We Trust"?
Why in the court of law are you asked to promise to, "Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God"?
This is only a brief sample of some of the ways in which "religion" has been interwoven into the fabric of our political structure. Scholars refer to this as Civil Religion. It is an acknowledgement of the fact that our Judeo-Christian heritage is foundational to our worldview and identity as a nation. An understanding of the dynamics of Civil Religion is essential in any debate upon the subject of Separation of Church and State and the question of whether or not religious/moral issues should be "handled" politically.
If we are to acknowledge the political system of the United States as a democracy which guarantees both freedom of speech and religion then the opinion of the religious community becomes essential in the political arena. Every successful politician that has ever run for office in the United States understands that the majority of Americans embrace a Judeo-Christian worldview and the consequences of offending the Civil Religion of our nation. Consequently, savvy politicians will appeal to the religious community in an effort to promote their religious morals within a political context; hence, their policies and laws.
At this point in this article it would only be appropriate to emphasize that the question of this debate is not whether politics should be handled from a religious/moral perspective. But, rather, whether religion and morals should be handled from a political perspective. And, in as much as our political system guarantees the separation of Church and State we have never seen, nor shall we ever see, a law decreed over our nation by the direct authority of a Church. The Catholic Church does not possess the direct authority to impose any law over the population of our great country. Neither do Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Muslims, Mormons or any other organized religion possess the authority as an institution to legislate morality. However, it is the mutual values of the members of these large religious communities which become a powerful force in our democracy to influence politics.
Who has the right to tell us what we can or cannot do? In a democracy it is the voice of the majority that has that right. It just so happens that America is still a country in which the majority of the people embrace Judeo-Christian values and morals. Who has the right to silence them?
© Mark Parsec
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)An interesting and well written article, although I disagree with some of what you say. The values held by the majority are not specifically Judeo-Christian; although the majority of people do happen to be Christian, the majority of the values held (don't kill, the Golden Rule [do unto others as you'd have them do unto you] seem to be common in both Christian-dominated and non-Christian dominated societies, which indicates some commonality of morality that is not dependent on religious belief. Majority rule through democracy, although riddled with problems (one example being in the Netherlands where there is a real chance that fundamentalist Muslims could become the majority and thus democratically install barbaric Sharia Law over the entire population), is by far the best method of government so far devised, and I think few if any people assert that the majority should be silenced. Rather, everyone should be given the best information available and allowed to express their considered opinion, through their words and through their vote.Thank you for your comments.
Hi Mark, I couldn't agreee more. Well said, and after your initial questions, the subject of this whole debate is answered. Why does a country call upon God for His blessing and grace when in trouble, and reject His principles when He is deemed not needed? If a politian doesn't want us to consider religious views with decisions of law, then he/she should not profess to be religious. And if our government wants us to keep God out of the equation, then they should not call upon Him for blessing nor ask His help in time of need. This great country of ours is going downhill because morality is fast disappearing and yet because the enemy has blinded many, they don't see the connection. God Forgive us. Thanks for an article that brought it down to the bottom line, and left out all of the justification for what is right and what is wrong. Again, our country sets itself up under the authority of God, so then it must follow with laws that relect God's holiness. It's really that simple--and yet the hardest thing to submit to.Thanks Teresa, I'm glad that you were able to perceive that I was trying to avoid all the fluff and get down to the nuts and bolts. God bless you always.
Swearing under oath mattered when our nation was founded becuase we were founded under Judeo Christian concepts and beliefs [no longer in my opinion] Saying is one thing, doing another. So professing or placing your hand on a book when your heart is corrupt is worthless to any man and only has a value before God. That is if you even believe in God. Yes just like taking an oath before God, worthless when you look the other way while people deliberately break the law and you condone it and accept it as something, get this "Jesus would want us to do". NO they got that all wrong, so what can anyone expect. In my opinion no more then ritual trappings remaining from an age when values, integrity, honor, morality and belief had value. Without them theya re no more then that, riutual to many, not all but many. I guess we are still hoping for the best? Good article.Thanks Robert. It matters in that God is still very much real and He is a God that really does pass moral judgment. He knows the hearts of all people. I fear for the future of our country.You got it right Mark and He does judge the heart not the action or what we profess. He will judge us all at the ned in whatw e have done and yes whatw e have failed to do. Best wishes to you. Robert.
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