Prompt : To what extent, if any, is applying religious values to political issues

more threatening to the State than applying secular values to those same

In a time where a country’s economy and status are of equal importance, the political figures that govern the country are sure to play a part in its success. As society changes with time so does its values and needs. Therefore any figure with political power in a state or country has to be flexible to keep up with the changing needs of the community.

One such manner in making decisions for the state would be to apply any religious values that person holds to the State. By itself, religion does a community more good than harm because it is a guideline for people on how to live their lives and interact with other people. Since religion is inherently good, one might think that applying those same ideals in making decisions would benefit the State as well. However, people belonging outside that religion used would feel threatened because indirectly the State has chosen one particular religion above others. The difference in the volume of fear the communi

Many believe that religion does not have the compromise necessary to aid this decision process. The values that they impose create certain mindsets of thinking and as a result a certain character trait can be found in people indigenous to different religions. Each religion claims to be the one way to salvation and therefore conflicts arise among the different beliefs. Perhaps the most well known and documented conflict throughout history is that among the Christians and the Muslims. Countless wars have been fought because of the difference in their beliefs and because the Christians have tried numerous times to convert the Muslims. Perhaps a more suitable tool for the state is a changing religion which is more open minded and sympathetic to the events of today. This would otherwise be secular values. These secular values are established more on human rights and experience and even common sense. Even the laws of today could have been determined from what people as a community view as right and wrong. Even though religious and secular values are derived from different aspects of human life or teachings from a divine being, there are areas where both values agree.

One such view would be the Bible’s Ten Commandments. The basic law everyone abides to is the same as these Ten Commandments. If these two sets of values are the same ones used successfully in every community then religious values therefore must be beneficial to the State. However even as there exists areas of agreement between these two values there are areas of conflict as well. One area of conflict that continues is the establishment of gay and lesbian rights. Any religion will agree that this policy was a mistake. Man was meant to be with a woman and a woman only. However there existed in society a group of people that were gay or lesbian and the state recognized this. Through secular values the community was able to understand this new group of people and accept them. Eventually after this new group was accepted in to society, policies were made to allow these people to be together legally. These policies can be found in most strongly democratic countries such as America and certain parts of Europe. In these countries, the implement of this policy was another form of human rights. The freedom of choice. However in countries governed by strong religious faith such as the Middle East, this policy would never even have been considered. To accept this policy would be the same as going agai

Some topics in this essay:
Middle East, Church Prompt, Relations Muslim, Joseph Lieberman, Ten Commandments, Muslims Countless, America Europe, secular values, religious values, fear threat, using religion, , deeply religious, political issues, applying religious values, countries governed, middle east, feel religion, people believe, political power country,