Poli Sci Project - Religion and Governme

Regardless of religious background, in America and throughout the world
people from all backgrounds know the basics of The Lord's Prayer. We repeat line after line in our heads, including the line "Thy kingdom come" but do we think about what is being requested in that line? Simply put, that sole line is a request for a form of government under one supreme being, one higher power. But what happens when that government is based on a higher power that a certain percentage of it's population doesn't even believe in? Should religion have any basis in government at all?
In catholisism and christian based religions, the bible is taken to be the
ultimate guide to life. In Revalations, it talks about a government rule under God that will preside over the heavans and entire earth. There is also mention of the fall of worldly religions, stating that the only governemntal rule that will prevail will be the government brought by the hand of God himself. In the present day Vatican City, this idea of a government run by God is stressed. As an Ecclesiastical government of 800, the Pope himself is heeded as head, answering above him to 'God'. Of these 800, 74% are clergy. But what happens if you live under such a religion in a place like The Vatican City but do not follow or beleive in christianity? In 1931, Laws were passed banning the sell of contraceptives and outlawing divorce fllowed immediatly by laws mandating catholic religion instruction in the school system in Spain and surrounding areas of the Vatican. These laws obviously caused issues among the citizens of other religions and following the descision in 1965 by the second Vatican council to adhere to the idea of seperation between church and state, laws were passed granted members of the community from other religions special exemptions from those laws. Unfortunatly, other's through out history have not been so lucky.
The fact of the matter is religion causes problems, and forcing religion on a civilation only makes things worse. There's no denying the religious based battles raging in Afganastan, Bosnia, India, South Africa, Pakistan, and the Middle East. After the elections in 2000 in Côte d'Ivoire the government there "began targeting civilians solely and explicitly on the basis of their religion, ethnic group, or national origin. The overwhelming majority of victims come from the largely Muslim north of the country, or are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants..." In East Timor, a country based in Roman Catholism, 30% of the population who were mainly Muslim were exiled to Indonesia where in the process of their journey had starved to death or were murdered. In Kosovo the Yugoslavian government comprised of mainly Serbian Othodox Christians had funded a swift attempted genocide against Muslim ethnic Albanians. In Nigeria, Muslim militant control has been the overseeing government leading to brutal and maliscious religion based violence. And the amounts of cases throughout history concerning religions v. 'witchcraft' and the violence that ensues are mind boggling. Of course, this doesn't even begin to cover the issues, battles and deaths caused by an obvious lack of seperation between church and state.
Let's fast forward and focus to the present day United States. The very first admenment in our constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." and added to that, the Esablishment Clause of the First amendment prohibits Congress from establishing a national government or taking preference to one religion or another or even taking a preference of religion over lack there of. But how is that even possible if America was founded by those fed up with government based church in favor of church based government long before the drafting of the constitution? Obviously, we as a nation are failing on this idea of seperation between church and state. Even before the drafting of the Constitution, an idea of a nation under one God was present in the Articles of Confederation; "And Whereas it hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in Congress, to approve of, and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union." Our monetary system is riddled with "in God we trust", our pledge of allegiance a repetitive "One nation under God", not to mention our nation's history of 'witch' trials, wars in the name of 'God', and even a section of the nation referred to as 'the bible belt' amongst other things. Laws made in this country have an obvious basis in christian beliefes including laws against polygamy, adultery, laws partaining to the union of marriage, death and funeral ceremonies, and even swearing on the bible when testifying in an American court system. In America and a few other nations aroudn the world the 'church' is granted a certain amount of government freedoms including the fact that land taxes on churches are either severly cut or removed all together. These staples in our society have become unconsciencly accepted by most, but what problems actually arise from them?
In the case of Davis v. Beason, Samuel D. Davis a member of the Mormon religion was denied rights to polygamy under his argument of his first amendment
rights regardless of the fact that polygamy had been a long standing tennant in the Mormon religion. The Supreme Court ruled that polygamy was against 'moral' values and not a real staple of a religions beleifs (nevermind the numbers of prophets and 'men of God' listed i nthe bible who had more than one wife). In the Jehovah's Witness religion, it is against religious beleifes to worship and/or pledge alligiance to anything other than God himself so children from early ages face the delima of being forced to pledge alligence to the flag durring the first few hours of school everyday.
What's my point? In this world there are countless forms of religion varing drasticly from one extreme to another. In every religion, it's followers are instructed how to act and live according to a certain set of religious laws or morals. Under the rule of a government you are also instructed to live under a certain set of laws. Obviously, when those two seperate sets of laws conflict, there are major moral issues that far to often end in bloodshed. But when a government either outrightedly favors a certain relion or religious based laws, those who live under that goverment but follow a different religion or beleife system face excructiating moral delimas and constant prejudices under the laws supposedly in place to protect its citizens.






Bibliography

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