Is right/left just a Christian thing?

Question

or is it part of many religions?

Answer 1

Contrary to the popular belief shown in these answers it did not start in the American Congress. It started in the assembly of France. Those that sat on the Speakers right were loyal to the Republic and those that sat to the left were seeking to change the government.

There was no original conection to religion at the start, but there has been an intertwining of personal beleifs since then.

Answer 2

Im assuming you mean right = conservative and left =liberal. No, religion is not the main focus of either. It's about public policy. Religion does play into it. Most conservatives are religious but many liberals are too. However Christian faith is not the only religion with either side. All faiths ( Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Wiccan etc ) have right and left leaning members.

Yes, the terms "right" and "left" came from where members of Congress sat with respect to the center aisle. Since liberals controlled the Democrats ( left side ) and conservatives controlled Republican ( right side ), the terms left and right have become synonymous with the two ideologies

Answer 3

Hardly. There are no religions that are immune from the division caused be "traditionalism" vs. liberal thinking. Change, in any religion, comes slowly, because of the very nature of tradition.

Tradition is based on the Latin word "traditio" - which means "to hand over" - we get our word "traitor" from it...traditionalists (the "right") have a hard time believing that the way they have always done things is no longer the "right (or correct) way" - because it was "handed over" to them from a long line of traditional people - and the left (more liberal thinkers) have a hard time convincing the traditionalists that "the way we've always done it" is no longer valid.

Just a "Christian thing"? No way. Hinduism has it, Sikhism has it, Islam most certainly has it, Catholics absolutely have it - and so do Protestants. It's the way it's always been.

Answer 4

Do you mean in terms of politics? If that's what you mean, then no. The "right/left" dichotomy comes from how delegates are arranged when they positioned in their seats in Congress.

UPDATED: Yes, I'm for real! Fourmorebeers, you clearly know nothing about history. The terms "right and left" referring to political leanings actually stems from the French Revoltion, when the liberals in the national assembly sat to the "left" of the presiding office while the conservatives sat to the "right." That dichotomy has been translated to the way the American political delegates sit in Congress.

Words and sayings have origins and that's where out "left/right" concept comes from.

Answer 5

The left is trying to appeal to a Christian audience. I kinda like the idea, if they will acctually support abortion bans, and laws defining marriage, and help schools, etc. We need a Christian party (not called that, of course) that jumps on all the middle issues: Supports medical care, opposes abortion on demand, supports scientific research, opposes the errors in public aid, and the welfare programs.

Answer 6

Positioned their seats in congress???? Are you for real?

Edit:

As pointed out below, of course I am aware of its origins, my incredulity is to do with the fact that you have referenced a body using a concept that had existed for centuries before that body had even existed, it does not 'come' from the US congress at all. Why not go to the source or does everything have to exist in the US first?