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A Short and Humble Note on Religion and Politics

10/28/2012

6 Comments

 
I've been following the "reality television" series Breaking Amish since its premiere, and while anyone who has done any research on the Amish communities (I did so a couple of years ago while entertaining a concept for a novel I allowed to fall through the cracks and into oblivion) might suspect the show was staged, I have felt compelled to continue watching.  The idea of a group of young people leaving behind all they know--and the support of all of their loved ones--is compelling.  Sadly, this week's episode was unable to pull off the realism portrayed in previous weeks, the rejection met with not a single tear shed by any of the participants being far too telling.  It is sad to think the participants have lost everything in order to pursue their dreams, but one must ask how genuine these sacrifices truly are.

Conversely, the upcoming premiere of the new season of Sister Wives, a show about an American polygamist and his four wives, leaves me with a completely different feeling of disdain.  This feeling comes not from a group's desire to live by their own religious freedom, but that they feel it is admissible--almost flaunted--because their religious beliefs dictate that it is okay to break the law as long as their religion says it is.

The idea that religion might dictate one's every move might seem foreign, or at least obstructive, to most.  However, given the recent political climate, it seems a necessary topic on which to write.  There are political challengers who would take away the liberties of others in the name of their own religious beliefs should they be elected, and the prospect of that is terrifying to me.  While America was based on religious freedom, it was not based on any one religion's beliefs; one person's religious freedom does not equate to the freedom to dominate others with said beliefs.  Religious freedom is religious freedom, be one Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Agnostic, Atheist, or any other creed.  The thought of legislation being pursued based on one person's beliefs--thus infringing upon the beliefs and rights of those who do not follow said beliefs--appalls me.
That is one of many reasons I chose to write Myths of Gods.  The excuse of imposing one person's beliefs upon another, even taking away rights of minorities who may or may not fall under a given religious category, is just that: an excuse.  What these people are suggesting is nothing short of theocracy, a way of life that has proven to thwart decades of progress in , for example, certain Islamic countries.  Before religion dictated their legislation, women excelled in their communities.  Now, they are oppressed, held from education and prestigious jobs, their rights revoked in the name of a given group's interpretation of God's will.  I fear the United States may be moving in a similar direction.  We have made many strides, and at a great cost, but there are those who would strip us of of this progress in the name of their own personal religious beliefs.  The same goes for gay rights.  We have been moving in a positive, progressive direction, but all that might be for naught if we allow the wrong people to fall into power.
I wrote Myths of Gods for many reasons, but one of the main reasons was my need to address the potential dangers of a theocratic state.  When we allow regulations and legislation to be dictated by the religious beliefs of one group, we alienate the liberties of those who fall outside that group.  One might do many things in the name of God--restrict, oppress, even kill--but that does not make it right.  What is right is working toward the liberty of all the people, regardless of race, creed, or sexual orientation.  Doing otherwise in the name of any god is simply blasphemy.
6 Comments
Mark Oliver
10/29/2012 01:03:48 am

You are so right about Breaking amish being fake. I know one of the people on it and let me assure you there is nothing Amish about him. He left over 10 years ago! Just read your blog for the first time. I liked it... Will be eager to read more.

Reply
Lisa Lane link
10/29/2012 06:26:19 am

Thanks so much for responding with your added insight on the BREAKING AMISH issue, Mark.

Reply
Kate
10/29/2012 11:55:20 pm

For some in this country, religious freedom means the right to force their religion on others. They will shout "religious freedom" when they want to deny gay people equal rights, or deny women equal health coverage or rights to their own body, or when they want their own version of mythology taught as fact in public schools. This is obviously not religious freedom -- it's religious privilege, something that these people tend to recognize only when other religions try to play by the same rules that those in the dominant religion (i.e. Christians) have written for themselves.

But when that happens, they still don't back down. Then they claim that the Founding Fathers wanted this to be a Christian nation, or that the history of America somehow owes Christianity special privilege. This, of course, completely ignores the 1st Amendment which guarantees religious freedom ... but then we wind up back at the original argument, where these people claim that their religious freedom includes the right to impose it on others.

I heard an interesting comment the other day. A Christian teen posed that a huge part of Christianity is evangelizing, and therefore not allowing them to impose their religion across the nation was an infringement of their religious freedom. They don't get the notion that my right to swing my arm ends at their faces, and vice versa...

This is a huge problem, and I fear where our country may wind up if the religious right is not pulled out of the political sphere.

Reply
Mark
10/30/2012 02:52:58 am

I read and respect your comments, Kate. I am a Christian, but I sometimes find myself cringing at the actions of the more aggressive Christians. I firmly believe faith is an individual thing. We, as Christians, expect to meet our Maker as individuals. It is NOT my place to pass judgment on others even if they do things differently than I feel is right for me. The church I belong to strongly stresses baptism and membership must be a voluntary, adult decision. I live in an area where there is a lot of tourism and our faith & culture is on display. I find it thought provoking that I am routinely shown more courtesy and respect from non-Christian visitors than I am from aggressive evangelicals. Tolerance MUST be a two-way street.

Reply
Mark
10/30/2012 02:47:36 am

I read and respect your comments, Kate. I am a Christian but I sometimes find myself cringing at how other Christians can be disrespectful or even aggressive towards others. I firmly believe that if we all allowed others to practice their beliefs in peace, we'd all be better off. After all, we, as Christians, expect to meet our Maker individually. Each and every one of us is responsible for our own actions, etc. The church I belong to stresses baptism & church membership MUST be a voluntary adult decision and I whole heartedly support that. I live in a tourist destination where our faith & culture are on display and we get a lot of visitors. It is interesting to me that I'm frequently shown more courtesy and respect from non-Christians than from the more aggressive American Christians.

Reply
Leigh M. Lane link
11/1/2012 06:01:32 am

Thanks for the replies!

Reply



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