Tomorrow Bears Our Name

Although we are always presented with issues and problems that are out of our reach and seemingly impossible to resolve, they all have solutions. We can take a look at the tale of David and Goliath, in which David achieved the seemingly impossible when he slew the 9-foot juggernaut as a young boy. I am not trying to say that God was on David’s side; I am only trying to show that even the biggest of problems can be solved with enough patience and perseverance, or just with the right execution.
 
Politics and religion are both relatively convoluted subjects that, as mentioned in my previous post, when mixed together, prove to be a concoction of dangerous proportions. This osmosis of religion into politics requires a precise touch to be dismantled, the proverbial “hit to the nail’s head”. Although these solutions might not immediately show results, they intervene with the cruel systematic cycle of oppression and can overthrow it. These solutions might take society years to fully eliminate “political religion”, but it is the start of a societal change which can be marked as another point of evolution for mankind as a whole.

Clearly defining the difference between Church and State, and their complete separation- Although the United States Constitution has stated the separation of Church and State, it is not truly followed. We see politicians openly state their faith in their speeches, and thus make use of people ’s beliefs and values to gain their support. However, if the constitution is enforced, then there is no reason for politicians to publicly mention their faith to gain supporters. If they are elected these politicians are expected by their voters to adhere to their religious beliefs and display their values through their preferred policies. By having a written legislation or act that limits a politician from displaying their faith during their political campaign or speeches, we can lessen or even eliminate religious disputes between different groups, successfully excluding religion from politics.

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 Public Scrutiny- Sweden is a country that has incorporated this policy to its constitution, and it is now a Swedish constitutional right. This allows the Swedish public to get clear insights into government and municipal activities, thus lessening the chance of the abuse of power inside the government. This policy allows civil servants to inform the media and outsiders as well. By having a public scrutiny act in our society, we, as citizens, are able to know governmental plans and details, giving us a voice. We can have a definite voice if the public is put in a closer position with the government. This transparency can combat corruption, and allows the public to be aware of the interactions between the government, church, and corporations, thus slimming down the chances of religious or corporate lobbyists affecting the governmental decisions. This will then allow us to easily intervene with the cycle of oppressions that is presented in our society, as now we are provided with clear insights into the government.

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 The basis for this solution has already been set by our governments; it is just not finished or refined to modern society’s standards. However, we, as members of society, can bring forth the end of political abuse if we stand together and voice our concerns. Independence is crucial to dealing with this kind of social issues. With independence, individuals are free from the shackles of oppression as we discover our place in our own society.

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Regarding independence, there are examples in modern-day society which display the meaning of “united” as one, overcoming all obstacles. Take Iceland as an example, ever since the country went bankrupt there had been many radical changes in its society and system. Its government was forced to resign due to the number of protests, and its constitution was completely rewritten by its own people. This is a great example of a modern day revolution. As we are able to fight the systemic oppression that is prominent in society, it displays that we, as citizens, have the power to overthrow governments. How does that relate to my topic? It proves that the public cannot be truly controlled by the government, even by religious means, and that even the seemingly impossible is possible to achieve. There are obstacles, but these obstacles can be overcome. The mixture of politics and religion is only a small piece of a problem, which gives birth to oppression.

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Pawns in the Game

Rebel [ri-bel]
1.to resist or rise against some authority, control, or tradition. 

2.a person who resists any authority, control, or tradition. 

3.to show or feel utter repugnance
 

Oppress [uh-pres]
1.to burden with cruel or unjust impositions or restraints; subject to a burdensome or harsh exercise of authority or power 

2. to lie heavily upon (the mind, a person, etc.)
 

Conform [kuhn-fawrm]
1.to comply in actions, behavior, thoughts, etc, with accepted standards or norms 

2. to be in accordance 

3. to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group
 

These three terms can easily define each group of people that are involved with this issue, and the attributes which motivate them. They can serve as a general summary of how each group does and feels in regards to the issue:

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Rebels - They are the people who are aware of their “faulty surroundings”, and are willing to make a difference in their community. As they are able to see through the “facts” that they are presented with in the media and able to develop their own conclusion on certain societal situations. They do not conform to societal demands and norms. However due to their awareness and reluctance to conform, they sometimes have to suffer for their opinions and thoughts, due to them being “against the order of society”. There are many people throughout history that are punished for what they believed in, even till this day. Most rebels are very independent people that are willing to fight for what they believe in, just to be just. Their perseverance is something that we all as individual should learn. They are the people who are willing to dismantle the system of oppression that is in the world, even if it stems from a mix of religion and politics.

Oppressors - They are the people with authority (e.g. Politicians). In order for them to maintain their positions as the leaders of their own respective groups, they will do their best to gain the popularity of the masses. One of the methods is to proclaim oneself to be a believer of a certain religion, and this will then most likely earn the support of the people with the same faith. To further their cause, they will then attempt to create policies that reflect their religious roots to strengthen their following of supporters. However, politicians sometimes utilize scare tactics to get supporters. By using that, the people are put into a system of oppression with terror, in which fear will become the determining factor of a country’s future. In order for some politicians to reach their agenda, they utilize religious values and fear of the people to propagate their own beliefs and values to gain support. As they reach their goal, the people suffer as the elected politician’s policy that was said to “protect” the public will strip the people of their rights and freedoms. Thus, accelerating the rate of conformity among the people in society, as they cannot find ways to resist a system that is so-welled structured.

 
Conformists – These are the people who are unaware of their surroundings, and just follow societal trends. Usually they are very devout believers of a particular religion, which has a strong impact on their development as individuals. They usually do not question authority or sayings, but instead follow these societal demands as they view it as help maintaining societal order. They are the people who do are not aware of their oppressed state due to the allusion that their everyday lives are similar. Nor would they care for the lives of others as they are unaffected by societal changes. As long as their way of life has a minimal to no change, they are willing to accept the hidden “oppression” they are presented with - as new societal standards. In the end, their unawareness of their living environment, and their unquestioning devotion to certain religions, can lead to a self-plummet into the systematic oppression, which is prominent in modern day society. 

 

Is it that simple?

I ended my last post with stating that we need to acknowledge the dangers of mixing politics and religion. I’ll go into depth as to why it’s a dangerous concept, and how it all started. It is extremely hard to pinpoint the exact origin, but there is sufficient evidence, from historic events and even modern-day society, which shows that a mixture of politics and religion can be used by leaders to further their own agendas. It can theoretically be attributed to the nature of human beings - maintaining and gaining wealth and authority.

History implies that religion has always had a political “edge“ to it, which is why it is frowned upon by analysts in a political context. In fact, most religion-bashers jump at this opportunity. We’ll take the example of the infamous Rodrigo Borgia, also known as Pope Alexander VI. He was a man who utilized his wealth to bribe cardinals to ensure his influence in Europe. He was a skilled politician, and was able to use the power he had as Pope to ensure his rule and his wealth. When Giovanni Savanarola, a preacher, defied his ways, he was publicly tortured and executed. In fact, he was made an example of in front of the people of Florence. Historically, even though he was a man of religion, Alexander VI abused the authority of his position to further his own goals.

Rodrigo Borgia - Pope Alexander VI

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It is theorized that when men are put into a place of position, they utilize everything in their disposal to keep themselves, and their party of interest, in power. History has taught us that power corrupts. A rather infamous dictator, who we are all familiar with, used this method to achieve his goals. This man has been tarnished in history as one of the worst examples of a human being. He led to the deaths of millions, and his name is Adolf Hitler. His religious beliefs, though not belonging to a certain religion, extended into his politics; his idea of God wanting to create a “perfect race” seeped into his destructive practices. In fact, he preached of the supremacy of the “Aryan Race” to further serve his political cause. 

Propaganda picture of Hitler leading the German army to fight for racial supremacy.

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Although I did not specify the root of the mixture of politics and religion, I theorized the causes from historical evidence and the basics of human nature. Greed has a major role in this situation, as it gives a person the mindset to be selfish. The dilemma it sparks as a result, drives a person to mix teachings with their own beliefs to yield a desired result. It is simple human emotions, which serve as the spark for creating these moral problems that we face as a society.

All Its Takes a Spark..

In many forms, oil and fire are both parts of our everyday lives. Fire keeps us warm and provides light to brighten our homes; oil serves as fuel for many of our appliances. Can you imagine a world without these? I can't, and I'm sure not many people can either. Since these things have always been a part of our lives, it is extremely difficult to imagine modern-day society without these essential tools provided by Mother Nature. They form the basis of most technology, and have pushed us towards advancement in all areas of our lives. 

Now, think of "fire" as a metaphor for religion. With the correct implementation, it is able to bless us with concepts of morality and faith to help us develop our personal and communal identity. It can serve as the basis for our belief and values, thus enabling us to find our personal moral standing. In fact, it is safe to postulate that religion is the earliest "skeleton" of what we call "law". However, the fire metaphor also applies to its harmful nature. Just like fire can burn, religion that's imposed, and used in a controlling manner, can promote intolerance, bigotry, zealotry, violence and fanaticism. These extremely negative qualities can then instigate conflicts, or escalate existing conflicts to a new front. Religion possesses all the qualities of fire, it can illuminate, warm, spread, and burn, and makes either an extremely good impact on society or hindering its development. 

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On the same note, politics serves as the "oil" to the same fire. It enables the regulation and management of a country, and keeps the gears of society running. It serves as the focal point of a government - any decisions made, can and will affect the daily life of the public. Like oil, politics can, theoretically, make lives easier by managing and making complex societal decisions. However, if the power of politics is abused, a functional society can be ripped off its hinges. In such a case, the "oil" burns society down to a crisp, and the public is taken advantage of. 

Connecting the dots, the mixture of fire and oil, instinctively, blazes up. The flames intensify as more oil is added, gradually getting out of control and morphing into an emergency. "Religious politics" is the bane of a functional society. As individuals, we all have our own unique morals and values; these values are bound to be different than others. In many cases, the beliefs of the governmental heads seep into the policies and everyday politics. The policies will then impact society in a positive or negative manner. For a better illustration, Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, can serve as an example. Mahmoud is a strict practitioner of Islam, to the point where he will utilize all the power he has, as the leader of Iran, to bring forth the battle that will make the prophesized return of Mahdi (the Shiite Muslim Messiah, who is prophesized to return and lead Iran to victory during the End Times). As a leader, his policies and decisions reflect his religious background. An example of this was the attempt to create a nuclear program in Iran to establish it as a Nuclear Power. Just like our mixture of oil and fire, the "religious politics" will gradually get out of control and affect everyone around the world.  

Analogies always make complex concepts easier to understand. My analogy is not perfect, but it is able to get message through. Did I offend a lot of people by using these analogies? Definitely, especially on religion, as religion is one of the more controversial and sensitive topic out there and there is only a thin line to cross to incite many debates and conflicts. But we still have to acknowledge the fact that involving religion and politics is a very dangerous concept.