When church meets state | Opinion

When religion gets used to having its way in politics, the casualties can be wide-reaching- from the environment to medical breakthroughs. Perhaps more tragically, they can be simple ideas for the benefit of society which happen to irk religious sensibilities.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: The Daily O'Collegian | Opinion
By Carl Densem | January 20, 2011

This past holiday season, Salmaan Taseer, the governor of Punjab province in Pakistan at the time, was embroiled in a national debate over the country's longstanding blasphemy law.

It started when Asia Bibi was sentenced to death under the law for an argument in which she had allegedly blasphemed against the prophet of Islam. It quickly escalated when religious figures promised to "take the law into their own hands" if Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari followed through on his promise to pardon Bibi.

Taseer, seen as a foremost supporter of repealing or ‘watering down' the law, was assassinated on Jan. 4 by one of his own security guards.


Taseer's death highlights a problem that plagues many countries around the world: the incompatibility of religion and politics. Symptoms include rioting, intimidation and sometimes murder. While their cocktail is less violent in the United States, it is certainly no less prominent. Despite some separation of church and state, mainstream religion exerts undue influence over state affairs and policy.

For instance, James Watt, a former U.S. Secretary of the Interior under former President Ronald Reagan, would state, "I do not know how many future generations we can count on before the Lord returns," when defending his policy to allow mining and drilling indiscriminately throughout the U.S., including all national parks and coastlines. Clearly a religiously inspired policy, but thankfully he didn't get his way and those habitats escaped.

At least until BP contaminated them.

A more subtle case is that of Georgia's Rep. Phil Gingrey, who said that a federal mandate for females to receive the human papillomavirus vaccine was against the rights of parents to decide what is best for their children. HPV is sexually transmitted and can lead to cervical cancer, but some religious organizations see the virus as an effective deterrent of underage sex, one that inflicts fear and guilt in teenagers. And Gingrey is a medical doctor.

There are many other examples, including Texas Governor Rick Perry's support for teaching creationism and 'intelligent design' alongside evolution in classrooms, and the idea that Israel is 'ordained by God' and therefore a natural ally.

Just think how much time is spent debating the definition of marriage, 'Don't Ask Don't Tell,' science education and stem cell research.

When allowed, religion becomes a dominant force in politics. It stifles debate on important issues, and instead attempts to force its beliefs on trivial matters like blasphemy and sexual conduct upon a population. Over enough time, the effect can be erosive on principles of democracy and free speech.

When religion gets used to having its way in politics, the casualties can be wide-reaching- from the environment to medical breakthroughs. Perhaps more tragically, they can be simple ideas for the benefit of society which happen to irk religious sensibilities.

In any case, religion should be kept away from politics. Far, far away.


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