Religion in politics

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Overview

This is mainly a problem in the United States.

Religious fundamentalists or evangelists who attain office and who openly make political decisions based on their faith are a problem. This is partly because they tend to make those decisions based upon values which are often both ethically questionable and unavailable for questioning (due to their supposed basis in faith rather than reason). More generally, they also tend to be extremists in advocating the viewpoint of their particular religion, rather than supporting religious freedom (one of the founding principles of the United States) much less the right to freedom from religion.

For similar reasons, religious groups actively supporting a particular candidate are a problem. This violates the US's separation of church and state and the terms of religious tax-exemption, and tends to be indicative of a power-oriented agenda rather than one which is truly in the best interests of its members.

Related Pages

• separation of church and state
• Ten Commandments

Links

Filed Links

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Articles

• God's senator: Sam Brownback
• American "Rapture"

Projects

• Project Fair Play is "a drive to educate religious leaders about provisions in the Internal Revenue Code that prohibit non-profit organizations, including houses of worship, from intervening in partisan campaigns. As part of the Project, AU produces special materials addressing the legal and ethical implications of religious organizations engaging in electioneering on behalf of candidates and political parties."

humor

• 2007-05-29 (comic) This Modern World: Campaign season on planet Glox!