What is the relationship between religion and government in past societies?

Question

Can someone please tell me? PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR SOURCE IN THE ANSWER.

Answer 1

All governments have a unified concept of religion and government. That includes our present government. Though the U.S. government "technically" permits so-called freedom of religion; this is not true in fact. The state religion in western society is humanistic scientism with an accepted eschatological belief in technological utopianism. An individual may nominally practice any religion they choose WITHIN that framework. For example: A Christian Scientist may believe what they choose to believe, but they may not withhold medical treatment to their child because of their belief structure. This falls outside of the realm of "reason" and "humane" behavior. The same would be true with animal sacrifice by practitioners of Satanism or Santeria. Another example would be the advocacy of non-violent cooperation with the state in an attempt to institute a form of Christian communism. This is sedition.

The US Constitution is an inherently conservative document. It is designed to preserve the status quo. It has the following six objectives: (1) in order to form a more perfect union, (2) establish justice,(3) insure domestic tranquility, (4) provide for the common defense, (5) promote the general welfare, (6) and secure the blessings of liberty.

Religion; especially the Christian religion; looks forward to the establishment of "heaven on earth". it is an inherently revolutionary viewpoint. The only way that the conservative powers of the status quo can preserve things as they are is to co-opt the christian desire for a perfect future into the "state religion". Ronald Reagan's, "City on the Hill" is a good example. The underlying meaning of the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" is another one. The Christian forces of the abolitionist movement were channeled into defeating the secessionist movement. How about the Cold War? The manipulation of Christian faith the support the state against, "Godless Communism" This was wonderful for the powers that be because they could link atheism with communism, and use Christianity to rationalize the continued inequalities of the capitalist system.

Religion will always be manipulated by the status quo to obtain their objective: Keep things as they are. In this sense Karl Marx was right: Religion is the opium of the masses.

Answer 2

I'll bring up something that others may not. In Arab countries, there has traditionally been no separation whatsoever between church and state. Or, rather, mosque and state.

Going all the way back to Mohammed, the prophet and founder of Islam, this was the case. Mohammed also controlled what could be termed the civil government, including the armed forces. His successors, the Caliphate, exercised both temporal and spiritual authority, much like the Pope did during the middle ages, at least in Italy (and later the Papal States, which got smaller and smaller until the Italian unification in the 1870s).

This is changing somewhat now in Muslim nations (not all of which are Arab, I hasten to point out). Turkey and Pakistan have more of a separation between religious authority and secular authority. Suffice it to say, in the Muslim tradition, the separation between "church and state" would be viewed much differently.

Answer 3

God, gold, glory. The very reason our country was "discovered" had religion as a motivation. Religion was everything in past governments in every country. The Crusades, the Holocaust, Jihad (which just means internal struggle, not anything to do with war), and the American War on Terror. We will never escape it. Its a natural part of all of our lives, if we like it or not. Even if its the separation of church and state or a need to prove the existence or nonexistence of a higher being, we are all thinking about religion in some way.

Answer 4

If you want to see how religion and government can effect each other look up Europe during the middle ages. Check ancient America and the middle east during the same time period. The source of my information is the many libraries that I had to use during my time at school. Quit being lazy and do the same.

Answer 5

religion and govt. were one thing in the past so far as muslims are concerned and same was the case with christians. but later on as we see now, due to some other effects these two have been separated. In democracy they are separated in order to save capitalism and the interests of capitalists and in cammunism they have clearly declared it separate.

Answer 6

They were one and the same. The Church was the governing body. In as much, that Kings answered to the Pope.

Answer 7

Well in the beginning of the colonies, religion was the government.

Answer 8

Morality isn't inevitably as made from religion, yet fairly a made from social interplay. faith became in simple terms a primitive way of explaining the way the universe labored, previously technology more suitable to the element the place all of it began to furnish those reasons. someplace alongside the way faith began to take over the "morality police" function that it has as we talk. faith claims to furnish a ethical commencing up for mankind, yet that ethical commencing up in prepare lands up being thoroughly arbitrary, by using fact it particularly is unprovable that ANY god exists. with a view to answer your question, specific, i think that modern faith tries to apply it relatively is "ethical compass" to maintain civilization stepping into the direction that its leaders think of that its God needs.

Answer 9

DIVISION AND SEPARATION