Does Religion Have a Place in Politics?

Well, Ladies and Gentlemen. Today I would like to present to you about a mainstream
yet often avoided question, Does religion have a place in politics? It has long been said
there are two topics that should be avoided in polite company, whether it is while gathering
with friends, family, or so on. The two subjects that I mean are religion and politics. Tradition
has it that religion should be reserved for sermons and politics for political speeches. But why
shouldnt we feel comfortable in talking openly about religion and politics with your friends,
neighbors, family members, significant others, and fellow citizens? Because both subjects
supposedly are so controversial in nature that talking about them can lead to heated
arguments, harsh words, hurt feeling, and damaged relationships.

I would like to suggest, to the contrary, that people should be talking about them.
Politics is all about ones well-being when living in this life, and religion is all about ones
well-being in the life to come. Religion is tightly connected to human psychology and
culture. Religion involves values, aspirations, a life vision, a search for meaning in ones
existence, fear of mortality, concern about right and wrong, spiritual fulfilment, friendship
and wonder at the nature of life. Or we can make it simpler, just say that religion is the
guideline that people use to know how to treat their fellow men. While politics has a lot to do
with how people are treated. Then why would people all this time pan the possibility of the
mixture between those two?

Well ladies and gentlemen. Many say that religion will never fit politics because of
the difference between their basic principles. Religion, which is often referred to humans
belief on the almighty existence, has been said it has no relation with politics which concern
about how to rule a nation.

Moreover, religion is a so sensitive issue that sometimes results the practice of

violence due to the sentiments occur among the believers. Many humanity problem caused by
the the opposive views. For example, like what is happening in Rohingya, Myanmar in which
many Rohingya people, who are dominantly moeslims, attacked by the extremists of
buddhism. This kind of violence and genocide will only lead to chain of endless hatred
among human. This is why in this case, religion is often said has failed to unite human being.
 Well, other than those two, there are more reasons stated by the anti-religious politics
viewer, to refuse the interference of religion the political practice. However, I would like to
say that I disagree about the statement. I am sure that there is a place that suits religion in
politics.

A separation of politics and religion, which in United States is often called separation
of church and state, actually has never separated the religion from its existence in the context
of political practice. Religion has been concerning what is good and what is bad for the whole
time. We cannot deny that all this time human relied on religious doctrine to find out their
purpose of life and what they are made for. It eventually shaped the culture of human, planted
in every humans mind although they sometimes refuse to confess. Even in the US, although
religion is avoided to be showed off in the context of political decision-making, but the
religion itself has affected the personal view of politician, although some atheists would
prefer the term humanity as their ideology. I really doubt it that religion has not affected
ones perspective of life, unless they have a brain made of stone.

Then, I would like to say that most people in Indonesia have more loyalty to put on
the religion instead on the politic party. As we see that there some big parties whose ideology
is rooted from religious values. Let us see back in 2014, during the campagne of president
election, both candidates tried to seek for attention and support by visiting religious
institutions and asked for support from the religious leaders. But then, when the president is
selected, we barely hear the government involving religious affiliation to be invited on the
same table to discuss about the social, economic, educational problem that exist. Let us see in
Europe and the USA, although many have claimed that they are agnostic or atheists, the
influence of the archbishop of christian in the countries is still high. They can easily grab the
attention of their followers. This is what we should take advantage of, involving more
religion affiliation leaders in the decision-making, not only involving them just to promote
the decided policy.

Ladies and gentlemen. Though I agree on more interference needed for political
practice, I would nott agree if ones would turn this country to one religion governance
system. We have variying believers that live with us. I believe that religion has great power to
unite a nation in the context of political practice. But we should not use the religion to unify.
Let us not let what happened in the past, when religious conflicts turned to murder and
genocide, happen in the present and future.

Thank you.