Inkwell Institute
Professor’s Classroom
Subject: Political Philosophy/Religion/Governance
Paper #14
Now here is a subject that gets the blood boiling, both pro and con……there could be a debate on this for decades and NO one would win the debate…..but I am not here to condemn or support the idea….I just want to point out what part it has played in the past…..both recent and long ago…..do not shoot the messenger…..
Since almost the beginning of what is called political philosophy there has been a debate on what part religion should play in the governance of society……
For instance, St. Augustine in the 5th century AD…..believe that since humans were volatile and irrational, then government must be a God given phenom…he believed that people MUST obey their government as they do their church…..then we come upon Machiavelli……he believed that christian morality was clearly inappropriate for a ruler to use in governance……John Locke…..thought that religious toleration was to be paramount in government, but he also thought there should a a “state” standardized form of religion….The along came Rousseau….who thought that the state should have a “civic religion’….there is a very short sampling of what was thought of religion as it pertained to the state or government or political authority….as you can see religion has played some part in the act of governing….
Most people think of religion because they are taught to think a certain way……does religion belong in the same office as government?……There are many ideas of what religion should do……But what do the different political players think of religion?
Liberals–religion is a private matter linked to individual choice and personal development. Religious freedom is essential to civil liberty and can only be guaranteed by a strict division between religion and political activity and between church and state.
Conservative–religion is a valuable (possibly essential) source of stability and social cohesion. Provides society with a set of shared values and the bedrock of a common society, and culture and church and state are inevitable and desirable.
Socialist–portray religion in negative terms, at best it is a diversion from political struggle and a t worst a form of ruling class ideology. In other words, a way to keep the masses under control.
Anarchist–regard religion as an institutionalized source of oppression of the working class. Church and state are invariably linked, with religion preaching obedience and submission to earthy rulers, while also prescribing a set of authoritative values that rob the individual of moral autonomy.
Fascist–Rejects religion on grounds that it serves as a rival source of allegiance or belief, and that it preaches decadent values such as compassion and sympathy. Fascism seeks to function as a ‘political’ religion, embracing its terminology and internal structure, such as devotion, sacrifice, spirit, redemption and so forth
(Once again I thank Andrew Heywood and his book “Political Ideologies”)
In recent decades fundamentalism is becoming more entrenched in American politics, they see the body of religion is essential, it dictates not only the personal conduct but also dictates the organization of social, economic and political life. These people believe that religion cannot and should not be limited to private sphere, that its place is with the politics of the land. They will impose their beliefs on everyone….personally, I do NOT want someone telling me what is right and wrong and passing laws with their personal beliefs…….
As you see the different “roles” that religion can play in the function of a government. But is it a “Ship of State”? IMO, it is NOT……religion is a personal thing that an individual makes and there should be NO room for it in government…I agree with the Anarchists in some ways and the Liberals in others…religion has No place in a modern government….laws should NOT be made from a religious point of view…no matter what one thinks the Founding Fathers had in mind…..
Oh, thank you VERY much for getting me started on THIS one – NOT!
😆
I personally am TOTALLY convinced that ALL organised religions are total fantasy – and not even good fantasy at that…
But, leaving that aside – democracy purports to be based on the will of the majority (we know that’s bullshit, but it IS what is supposed to be the situation and what the ruling elite use as justification for their existence). Religion – ALL religions – are based on and quote FAITH as their core requirement from their followers…
Since it is surely a given these days in ALL democracies that the MAJORITY of citizens will have NO FAITH in whatever administration is in power, how can the two ever possibly be linked?
Religions are, by their very nature, a collection of mythologies and superstitions based on the teachings and writings of (in my view deluded) PEOPLE who profess to speak for a god! There is no proof or even a smidgen of evidence that these people are not bewildered, stupid, liars, idiots, or even criminally insane and with criminal intent – I’m not saying they ARE, I’m simply saying there is nothing at all to indicate they’re not!
If religious freedom is flourish, or even to exist at all (which, regardless of my view of such beliefs, I DO support 100%), then it is VITAL that NO religion should EVER be used as any kind of a basis for creating the rules and customs of a society in general and specifically not in the formation of democratic laws and regulations!
Quin since we are friends, who better to get the blood boiling in the morn than me?……
I agree totally with you about religion…I once heard a quote, cannot who, that said If God had not created man, then man would have created God…..pretty much says it all for me…..
Exactly so – no question about it!
I do enjoy the debate…I appreciate you taking the time….thanx
Me too and my pleasure also 🙂
We are so smart I just cannot understand why more people are not listening, huh?
Obviously we’re just in a league of our own (or maybe it’s a darkened, padded room of our own – I’m not quite certain) 😆
Yep and it goes back to that tshirt that ties in the back….LOL
I believe that Islam is the best religion in world because of the following reasons:
1) There is no contradiction in the holy book Quran.
2) There are lots of ayats or signs which speaks about science and they are 100% correct .
3) There is no grammatical error in whole quran.
4) Islam not only tells about the good things but also suggest ways to achieve those good things in society. for example to curb poverty, Islam says that one should donate 2.5% of his savings early.
5) Islam believes in oneness of god i.e. Allah.
6) Islam guides towards peace.
7) Everything is logical in Islam.
8) Islam provides total solutions to the problems of society and humanity by curbing all the evils of the state and society such dacoity, rape, murders etc.
9) And there are several other reasons which suggests that islam is the best . Kindly visit this site for more knowledge about islam http://www.irf.net/
==========================
Information about Delhi
I appreciate the fact that you are a devout Muslim but I still do not think that religion has any place in government….for there will almost always be some form of discrimination when it is…..
Thanx for stopping by and the comment…hope to see you again
I’m with you – to me the best religion in the world is NO religion.
Islam does not curb rape murder or anything else – fear of retribution does that in a religious state…
But how much better is it if it is a sense of personal responsibility and decency towards your fellow man and woman along with a hefty dose of self control by the individual without that fear that does that? THEN we have REAL progress being made by humanity…
Just an opinion you understand…