Religion and Politics

[Sky Dancer]

Should religion and politics mix? Why or why not? The Christian right is very political. I've been asked by several posters whether Buddhists engage in social or political activism.

Two resources come to mind, The Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and Thich Nhat Hanh's socially engaged Buddhism.

Here is Thich Nhat Hanh's recommendations for Buddhists. What are Christians and Jews and Muslims advised?

In his book Interbeing, Nhat Hanh lays out the following 14 Precepts of Engaged Buddhism (here paraphrased), which emphasize social change as beginning with oneself.

1.Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones.

2.Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints.

3.Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrow-mindedness.

4.Do not avoid suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering, including personal contact, visits, images and sounds. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.

5.Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.

6.Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and transform them when they are still seeds in your consciousness. As soon as they arise, turn your attention to your breath in order to see and understand the nature of your hatred.

7.Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around you.

8.Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

9.Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.

10.Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

11.Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realise your ideal of compassion.

12.Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war.

13.Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others, but prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

14.Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only an instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realisation of the Way. (For brothers and sisters who are not monks and nuns Sexual expression should not take place without love and commitment. In sexual relations, be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world.

Thich Nhat Hanh, Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism (2005).

 

[bruzz]

Should religion and politics mix? Why or why not? The Christian right is very political. I've been asked by several posters whether Buddhists engage in social or political activism.

Two resources come to mind, The Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and Thich Nhat Hanh's socially engaged Buddhism.

Here is Thich Nhat Hanh's recommendations for Buddhists. What are Christians and Jews and Muslims advised?

In his book Interbeing, Nhat Hanh lays out the following 14 Precepts of Engaged Buddhism (here paraphrased), which emphasize social change as beginning with oneself.

1.Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones.

2.Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to receive others' viewpoints.

3.Do not force others, including children, by any means whatsoever, to adopt your views, whether by authority, threat, money, propaganda, or even education. However, through compassionate dialogue, help others renounce fanaticism and narrow-mindedness.

4.Do not avoid suffering or close your eyes before suffering. Do not lose awareness of the existence of suffering in the life of the world. Find ways to be with those who are suffering, including personal contact, visits, images and sounds. By such means, awaken yourself and others to the reality of suffering in the world.

5.Do not accumulate wealth while millions are hungry. Do not take as the aim of your life fame, profit, wealth, or sensual pleasure. Live simply and share time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need.

6.Do not maintain anger or hatred. Learn to penetrate and transform them when they are still seeds in your consciousness. As soon as they arise, turn your attention to your breath in order to see and understand the nature of your hatred.

7.Do not lose yourself in dispersion and in your surroundings. Practice mindful breathing to come back to what is happening in the present moment. Be in touch with what is wondrous, refreshing, and healing both inside and around you.

8.Do not utter words that can create discord and cause the community to break. Make every effort to reconcile and resolve all conflicts, however small.

9.Do not say untruthful things for the sake of personal interest or to impress people. Do not utter words that cause division and hatred. Do not spread news that you do not know to be certain. Do not criticize or condemn things of which you are not sure. Always speak truthfully and constructively. Have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.

10.Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

11.Do not live with a vocation that is harmful to humans and nature. Do not invest in companies that deprive others of their chance to live. Select a vocation that helps realise your ideal of compassion.

12.Do not kill. Do not let others kill. Find whatever means possible to protect life and prevent war.

13.Possess nothing that should belong to others. Respect the property of others, but prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth.

14.Do not mistreat your body. Learn to handle it with respect. Do not look on your body as only an instrument. Preserve vital energies (sexual, breath, spirit) for the realisation of the Way. (For brothers and sisters who are not monks and nuns Sexual expression should not take place without love and commitment. In sexual relations, be aware of future suffering that may be caused. To preserve the happiness of others, respect the rights and commitments of others. Be fully aware of the responsibility of bringing new lives into the world.

Thich Nhat Hanh, Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism (2005).

Religion and politics should not mix. They should be like oil and water. We all know that monarchs imposed one religion on their subjects and didn't allow them to practice their own faith. In the same way it is wrong for government to influence religion in any way. The goal of government is to perform any duty that the citizens either cannot or will not do. How anyone can fit religion into that is beyond me.

 

[Big Black Dog]

I swear to God that I am a conservative.

 

[FA_Q2]

You make an interesting point but I would like to point out that this is a one way street. Government needs to be COMPLETELY separated from religion but you cannot pull all religion out of government. What I mean is that people draw their beliefs and morality from the tenants that they believe in. The government is made up of those people and whether or not they attempt to sterilize it or not that belief will always reflect in how they carry themselves and how they vote. You cannot stop the basic morality of Christianity working its way into the government but you CAN stop the government getting into individual rights and religions. Even as a Buddhist your vote will be affected by your base beliefs and therefore your religion is influencing who you vote for. That makes your religion affect government.

Bottom line - religion WILL effect government but that does not mean that government should effect religion.

 

[Mad Scientist]

Should religion and politics mix? Why or why not? The Christian right is very political. I've been asked by several posters whether Buddhists engage in social or political activism.

Should religion and politics mix? Why or why not? The Christian and Religious Left is very political. I've been asked by several people whether so called religious people like Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and Rev. Wright engage in social or political activism. And of course It's obvious they do.

 

[Sky Dancer]

Should religion and politics mix? Why or why not? The Christian right is very political. I've been asked by several posters whether Buddhists engage in social or political activism.

Should religion and politics mix? Why or why not? The Christian and Religious Left is very political. I've been asked by several people whether so called religious people like Jessie Jackson, Al Sharpton and Rev. Wright engage in social or political activism. And of course It's obvious they do.

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton don't represent organized Church politics. Just sayin'''

 

[Avatar4321]

I'm all for religious people of all persuasions being political. As long as the government doesn't stop me from practicing my religion and doesn't pass any orders to exterminate us again.

 

[Sky Dancer]

I'm all for religious people of all persuasions being political. As long as the government doesn't stop me from practicing my religion and doesn't pass any orders to exterminate us again.

Whose ever ordered your people exterminated? Rome 2000 years ago?

 

[uscitizen]

The more persecuted a Christian feels the closer to their god they are.

 

[Sky Dancer]

The more persecuted a Christian feels the closer to their god they are.

Maybe we should persecute Christians for their own benefit. (Just kidding)

 

[THE LIGHT]

The more persecuted a Christian feels the closer to their god they are.

Maybe we should persecute Christians for their own benefit. (Just kidding)

Don't even think about it.

 

[bruzz]

A government should be socially active as that is it's duty, to improve the lives of it's citizens. The means to doing that is in question. Religion is already written into the constitution, we just need to carry it out. The constituion has been blurred by the political parties.

 

[Sky Dancer]

Does your religion influence how you're politically active? Mine does. I refer you all to the OP.

 

[rikules]

You make an interesting point but I would like to point out that this is a one way street. Government needs to be COMPLETELY separated from religion but you cannot pull all religion out of government. What I mean is that people draw their beliefs and morality from the tenants that they believe in. The government is made up of those people and whether or not they attempt to sterilize it or not that belief will always reflect in how they carry themselves and how they vote. You cannot stop the basic morality of Christianity working its way into the government but you CAN stop the government getting into individual rights and religions. Even as a Buddhist your vote will be affected by your base beliefs and therefore your religion is influencing who you vote for. That makes your religion affect government.

Bottom line - religion WILL effect government but that does not mean that government should effect religion.

religious Americans have a right to try to affect government and laws according to their religious beliefs.

their attempts to do so should be limited by the constitution;

for example;

religous morons have a right to try and criminalize homosexuality

but their attempts should be denied because criminalizing homosexuality is unconstitutional.

 

[FA_Q2]

Does your religion influence how you're politically active? Mine does. I refer you all to the OP.

Are you referring to 10?

10.Do not use the Buddhist community for personal gain or profit, or transform your community into a political party. A religious community, however, should take a clear stand against oppression and injustice and should strive to change the situation without engaging in partisan conflicts.

That does not say that your religion stays out of politics just that you should not create a Buddhist party. In fact, I would read that as a charge TO get involved in politics as it calls for a clear stand against oppression and injustice and that may involve politics. That is the paraphrased version as you pointed out so I may be incorrect.

Going back to my last though, I would stipulate that even of a basic tenant of Buddhism was to keep your religion COMPLETELY out of politics it is impossible if you yourself is engaged politically. As I said before, your base beliefs and the way you live your life is likely to be largely defined by your faith and therefore will affect what you see as good and bad politically.

 

[Father Time]

They should not mix.

No religion can ever be proven or disproven so to base law off of them is illogical.

To quote Jefferson

"the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavoring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world, and through all time; that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical; that even the forcing him to support this or that teacher of his own religious persuasion, is depriving him of the comfortable liberty of giving his contributions to the particular pastor whose morals he would make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most persuasive to righteousness,"

The Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom - Religious Freedom Page

 

[Sky Dancer]

They should not mix.

No religion can ever be proven or disproven so to base law off of them is illogical.

To quote Jefferson

"the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men, have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavoring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world, and through all time; that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves, is sinful and tyrannical; that even the forcing him to support this or that teacher of his own religious persuasion, is depriving him of the comfortable liberty of giving his contributions to the particular pastor whose morals he would make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most persuasive to righteousness,"

The Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom - Religious Freedom Page

I don't think religions ought to be in the business of policial organizing. I see no problem with religious principles informing my world view.

You'll notice there is no 'Buddhist wing' of the Democratic Party, lol.

 

[Sky Dancer]

".The Religious Right is a term used to describe a general coalition of organized conservative political activist groups that use religious (usually Christian) premises and rhetoric. This coalition's political power increased substantially in the United States during the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and it remains a significant force in US politics today.

The term is more commonly used by outsiders than members of this group. It also is used to denote political conservatism, rather than religious or theological conservatism (Many in the Religious Right are also religiously conservative, but the latter does not imply the former.)

Use of common enemy rhetoric to rally support for their cause is common among groups in the religious right, where the common enemies in question include secularists, liberals, homosexuals, and in past years, godless Communists. Similarly some liberal groups use the religious right itself as a common enemy to rally support for their causes.

David Sinclair, editor of the website "The American Religious Right" has described the Religious Right as "Christian political extremists in the US [which] are only a small minority of the population, but [that] are well-organized and wield political power far beyond their numbers." Sinclair also claims that they run the Republican Party, but in recent years it has not always been clear who has been controlling whom.

One author of this article saw a voter's guide distributed by the Christian Coalition in the mid-1990s that had more items mentioning Republican party planks than items that mentioned explicitly Christian issues. There are also significant portions of the Republican Party that do not share the religious agenda of the religious right, and the party as a whole has often put its own political power over the agenda of the religious right.

For instance, while the religious right is firmly pro-life, pro-choice Republican candidates have been known to get significant support from the national Republican party, arguably more than pro-life Democrat candidates have gotten from the national Democratic party."
Religious Right - SourceWatch

Christian posters do you identify yourself as part of the religiious right?

 

[Sky Dancer]

What about the religious left?

Religious left is a term referring to religious movements with a left-wing direction. The Buddhist Peace Fellowship comes to mind.

Buddhist Peace Fellowship

I identify myself with the religious left particularly the work of Thich Nhat Hanh.

 

[Father Time]

At the risk of dereailing I'd like to say SourceWatch isn't a reliable source. They have no Neutral Point of View Policy (unlike say wikipedia), lean pretty left and really only have a handful of editors. Plus they are sponsored by a thinktank.