Why?
2007-12-19 16:02:36 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Religion and government should never mix. Our country's forefathers were adamant about that point since they had seen the consequences (first hand) of a church state. Many (not all) evangelicals in this country work hard to make our government a theocracy that would take certain rights away and legislate their brand of "morality" on the rest of us who choose to think freely beyond the limited borders of religious dogma.
Nothing, throughout all the ages, has been a bigger detriment to the causes of science, free thought, and individuality as organized religion. Jefferson, Madison, Washington and others recognized the injustice of an unchecked, all-powerful entity controlling the government and how it removed hope and fairness from the people, essentially rigging the system in its favor
To be clear, I'm not judging those with religious convictions - just saying that appointing government officials and deciding policy based on matters of religion are ill-advised and serves to undermine the objectives of deciding the person or policy that has the best interest of the country's future in mind. Policy needs to be progressive, almost "future proof" in the basic transcendental ideals it upholds - not take a society backwards in ideological progress.
2007-12-19 16:27:37 · answer #1 · answered by Technoshaman 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It is impossible to separate people from their beliefs (religious or otherwise). The decisions they make are always going to be influenced by their beliefs and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Where it goes wrong is when people start trying to force their beliefs on other through legislation. Trying to introduce intelligent design in science classrooms is a good example.
I don't have any problem with politicians letting their faith influence their decisions on things like abortion, capital punishment, and other issues that have a moral element. At the same time, an elected official needs to listen to their constituents, even if the majority believe something different.
2007-12-20 00:39:09 · answer #2 · answered by Justin H 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Just for the record, people without "faith" do have morals. They don't need religion to tell them not to kill people, or not to keep human beings as slaves, as another poster implied.
And no, I don't think there should be any religious influence whatsoever in the law. In a place like America, you can't try to influence people by something they don't even believe in.
2007-12-20 00:18:30 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
In another time and place, where a civilization was filled with believers or a people of some sort, then the nation would be governed by their religious laws and visitors would be obliged to follow them. In the US that doesn't work, and we should try to follow our best judgement and follow good moral values. It doesn't take much to know the difference between right and wrong.
2007-12-20 00:07:01 · answer #4 · answered by Atlas 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
In my case not at all. But then I come from a country where you could have gotten ticketed for mowing your lawn on Sunday. People have different beliefs, and it would be tricky to come up with policies and laws to satisfy all beliefs. Although I see it happening, one of my daughters has to call a Christmas tree a holiday tree in school, not to offend anybody, and I think that is a bunch of .......
2007-12-20 00:09:28 · answer #5 · answered by sabina-2004@sbcglobal.net 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
none at all.. if you use religion to influence laws, then should the people who don't believe in that religion have to follow? that's asking for an uprising
especially now that dualism can be defeated to an extent which essentially disproves the basic beliefs of billions of people and every single major religion
2007-12-20 00:07:10 · answer #6 · answered by tdoan89 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Religion should not influence laws because laws should apply to every single citizen of a republic.And citizens can hold any religion so it would be some kind of discrimination to make laws influenced by certain religion.
2007-12-20 00:07:08 · answer #7 · answered by Agustin 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Religious beliefs should have no influence whatsoever on public policy and laws. It makes no sense to govern modern societies according to archaic superstition and fables.
2007-12-20 00:06:42 · answer #8 · answered by Subconsciousless 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
None at all. Everyone has different beliefs, that's what America was founded on. We don't have a national religion for a reason; no one should have to support something based on a religion they don't believe in.
2007-12-20 00:05:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 0⤋
Religious beliefs have no business influencing public policy. "Public" by definition is all-inclusive, and any religious influence would be defacto discrimination, even if it's harmless.
That includes atheism, by the way. We also have a seperation of atheism and state.
2007-12-20 00:07:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋