Religion and its Expanding Role in Politics

A secular state actually aids religion more than a theocracy would. This is the gist of a bold claim made by James Wilson, former president of the American Political Science Association, as he spoke to students yesterday. The DP reported that Wilson referred to a "free market for religion" at a national level in the United States. This relates to the expanding nature of existing religions and increasing number of new dominations throughout the country. The practice of religious tolerance in the United States allows for the creation and maintenance of all different religious institutions. It also fosters the practice of individuals identifying themselves from others based on their unique religion.

According to the article, Wilson discussed several benefits to living in one of the world's most religious countries. He argued that citizens who are more religious are more likely to act lawfully, be economically sound, and have solid marriages. He also acknowledged the trend of voting for politicians based on their religious beliefs rather than their platform surrounding other major issues. Policy issues pertaining to religion can be very important. For instance, many Catholic voters who have strong sentiments about abortion most likely voted for Bush in the previous election. However I remember listening to a radio show on NPR around election time last year, that interviewed several religious leaders. The leaders preached to their congregations and urged them to vote for Bush simply because doing otherwise would be a sin. The religious leaders neglected to discuss any actual political issues. If citizens vote solely based on their religious views, they are neglecting their role as citizens and are failing to exercise their right to vote for the most qualified candidate based on all the issues surrounding the candidate's platform. It seems that going to Church just may be a new form of grass-roots campaigning for elections in the future.