Should all religious officials be banned from speaking or influencing Politics?

Question

I'm not saying we should not have morals in politics (in fact it needs a whole lot of it)...but I have come to the conclusion that Priests, Bishops, Imams, Ayatollahs and other so-called anointed religious leaders cannot come up with sane political decisions and even help corrupt politics. You want proof: look at the USA where you have religious freaks go crazy over cartoons (Spongebob controversy ring a bell?); look at Iran where the Imams bless a loonatic monkey that wants Israel exterminated; look at my home the Philippines where Bishops can help block important laws from being passed and avoid paying taxes even if they have corporations and businesses...and all they have to defend their stands is "God did this...God did that"...Its stupid and making the other citizens look stupid.

Let me clarify some things first:
1.) I do not advocate taking away peoples' rights...but I do not advocate stupid abuse or irresponsibility of those rights...(again read my question...especially the examples of religious political stupidity)

2.) Do you people still think that there are or should be such things as "state religion"??? No thanks to immigration and globalization...every nation no longer has a strictly homogeneous religious population (in the Middle East save for Lebanon and Israel, however...well thank the government repression of Christianity there in that sand pit for the fact that 90% of all of them Arabs and middle Easterners are Muslim)

3.) Isnt invoking the name of God to justify idiotic policies and statements blasphemy??? (Bush, Osama, Ahmedjinad...the list goes on...)

Answer 1

They should be allowed to speak all they want. Their concerns and opinions as citizens and representatives of citizen groups matter, too. However, as far as actual influence in politics - no political decisions should be made based on religion, intolerance, or "I don't like it". So, religion should stay out of the actual political arena.

Answer 2

When you read the new testament, check Jesus's reaction to the Pharisee's. He dispised them. they were the holy people of the time. They had corrupted the temples and put heavy burdens upon the people to gain for themselves.
The sermon He gave at the temple when He overturned the gaming tables and the produce tables and condemned their cheating of others with unbalanced weights, reminds me of your question. It is very similar to His condemnation of the religious leaders of the time.
I believe that the United States began as a good and God based government. We have evolved and broken down into a self-serving greedy dishonest pharisee type of religion. Not serving God and His will. I am saying religion. The two are not the same any more. And it is a pity. the word church in the original language means Gods people. there is nothing about a building or doctrine or any of the things the different types of churches cling to today. It simply means God's people , His church, His voice in the land of imperfection and sin.
So with this in mind I have to say if we had true people of God in the position of politics it would not be long till they were so confused at the garbage that has been brought into a law they would not last long or if they do I would be suspect of their motives.

Answer 3

No. Government meddling isn't the way to solve problems. This problem will only be solved once people start learning how to think on their own.

Answer 4

And what country would it be? If they can take away some peoples rights then none of our rights are safe and none of us are free.

Answer 5

Not only religious officials should be banned, all religions must be abolished in this world, they are the arms of the devil. They deceive people and make them fight!!!