How far should religion influence political decisions?

“Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what religion is.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Religion: A set of rules or beliefs and individual/group chooses to live according to

Political decisions: Rules/ regulations that govern a society or country which are
implemented by the government

Religious views influence: Voters

Politicians
Laws and regulations

America regarded as a Christian Country

Iran regarded as a Muslim country

Religion influencing political decision

Positive:
• People’s votes affected
• Religion acts as a moral compass that guides society, ensuring that laws/
regulations enforced are not amoral
• Religious influence can benefit society as a whole, because religious beliefs
generally preach about betterment and justice in society. As for laws
respecting any establishment of religion, they are unconstitutional. However, I
interpret this to mean not passing any laws that establish a national church.
Obviously, a law forbidding theft respects religion, but it is also necessary for
the peace and order of society. Religion is about personal progress and
righteousness, but its effects can be progress for the society. Thus, a
government can establish goals that are secular in purpose, but contain the
great ideas of religion.

Negative:
• Violation of individual rights by imposing a single religion onto the people
• Spiritual teachings shouldn’t influence worldy decisions that affect those who
don’t believe in said religion
• Laws/regulations might only be beneficial to those who belong to said religion
• People’s votes swayed

Introdiction:

Religion has an undeniable arm in the world of politics today, Mahatma Ghandi once
said, “Those who say religion has nothing to do with politics do not know what
religion is”. Evidently he is trying to point out the influence of religion upon political
views and decisions in our society. Religion, or the lack there of it, affects society on
a personal level, because it affecting the votes of the public, or the political decisions
that politicians support or make. Religious influence on political decisions can have a
positive impact on society due to the fact that religious beliefs generally promote
growth and justice, however on the other hand religious influence on political
decisions, especially in cases where the influence is derived from only one religious
group, can cause social unrest and injustice. Therefore religion should only influence
political decisions to the extent which it benefits society as a whole, and influence
should not be implemented in cases where religious influence imposes on others who
possess alternative religious views. (Thesis)

Paragraph 1: Religion has a positive impact on political decisions

• People want religion to be a factor in political decision

o In a survey conducted in 2000 by the Pew Research Center in America,
70% of the candidates interviewed expressed their desire for their
president to have strong religious beliefs

• Religion acts as a moral compass that govern political decisions that can
benefit the people
o For example the act of discrimination is condemned in Christianity, in
such cases the beliefs of Christianity can help to ensure that society
benefits from political decisions/regulations derived off it’s religion,
and instill justice in society.
o Religion instills moral values in a person, and hence the morality in
which a religious government makes political decisions
• Religious influence can benefit society as a whole, because religious beliefs
generally preach about betterment and justice in society. As for laws
respecting any establishment of religion, they are unconstitutional. However, I
interpret this to mean not passing any laws that establish a national church.
Obviously, a law forbidding theft respects religion, but it is also necessary for
the peace and order of society. Religion is about personal progress and
righteousness, but its effects can be progress for the society. Thus, a
government can establish goals that are secular in purpose, but contain the
great ideas of religion.
• Voters are simply exercising their rights to the free exercise of religion that are
granted. Making a political voting decision based on their own religious
beliefs, or based on the fact that candidates share the same religion might not
be as fact based as secular reasoning but it is a given right to voters to make
their own choices.

Paragraph 2: Religion has a negative impact on political decisions

• As a religious person, a politician’s morals and beliefs wills stem from the
morals and beliefs of his religion, and political decisions might be made with
the sole thought of benefiting only those who share the same religion as he
does
o For example Iran's Government, called the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The radical religious government has created many boundaries and
illogical regulations in this country, which claim to be according to
religious beliefs of Islam, which is the religion of the majority. They
refer to it as the will of God, and the rule of God. Thus, they r ule the
society and mass media by penetrating religion into politics.
 o Infringement of the first amendment to the United States Constitution
which prohibits the making of any law "respecting an establishment of
religion"
• Religion does not guarantee that a person has the right morals

Paragraph 3: It is alright for religion to influence the political decisions of the voters,
but a leader’s political decisions cannot be justified on his religious views as the sole
and basic reason, instead a leader must justify political decisions upon secular
reasoning taking into consideration secular views of those who do not share the same
religion

• Government can establish goals that are secular in purpose, but contain the
great ideas of religion.
o If political decisions are solely based on religious reasons, or spring
from religious beliefs than that is a violation of the rights of those who
do not share that same religion
o People are more likely to agree wholly with secular reasoning over
religious reasoning
• Secular reason can themselves justify political decisions because it is made
based on logical reasoning, that is viewed as for the good of everyone, and not
stemmed from a religious point of view or doctrine on what might be good for
society.
• Religious reasons can only play a limited role is justifying political decisions,
secular reasoning can in itself encompass religious reasoning

Conclusion:
Religion can only play an asymmetrical role in influencing political decisions. This is
because if religious reasoning/doctrine were made the premise of political decision-
making, this would be an infringement of the first amendment to the United States
Constitution, which prohibits the making of any law "respecting an establishment of
religion". Also political decision based on religious reasoning/beliefs are not wholly
beneficial to society as a whole, including all those who do not share the same
religion, but a decision based on secular reasoning can be said to be beneficial to most
people on a larger platform than that based on a singular religious belief. As a result,
it is alright for religious influence to influence the political decisions of voters,
however a political leader cannot make political decisions out of religious influence.
It is crucial that he uses secular reasoning over religious reasoning, and hence secular
and religious influence can influence political decisions, just in asymmetrical
proportions.