Difference between U.S. Politics and Religion
It was once said that politics and religion are quite similar, in that they both serve the function of making sense out of the sometimes-bewildering aspects of government and spirituality respectively. Whether or not they accomplish their respective goals is another matter entirely, although there is no doubt that politics and religion in the United States so often have a common thread running through them. In fact, U.S. politics has been marked with numerous cases wherein the two have been intertwined to the point where they are virtually indistinguishable from one another. This comparison article seeks to unravel those threads.
The Left And The Right
In the political sphere, religion has always been a touchy topic between the left and the right. More often than not–and to the bewilderment of liberals-conservative factions have frequently won votes despite overwhelming public disagreement with certain conservative policies. While this can be partly explained by the prevailing distrust that many conservative voters have for anything remotely liberal-leaning, it may be said that the tendency of certain conservative factions to mix their political agendas with religious undertones has a significant role to play in swaying voters as well.
The Changing Sphere Of Politics
According to many political analysts, one of the most significant changes to have occurred in the Bush II era United States’ political sphere is the transformation of the conservatives from a political entity into something more akin to a fundamentalist religious group. This has resulted in the avoidance of certain limitations that are inherently present in politics. You only have to look at certain conservative political agendas in order to see that they often cater to fundamentalist religious leanings in some way. This of course puts liberals at a strict disadvantage, since they only have their political agendas to rely on. In contrast, conservatives not only benefit from the sympathy of fundamentalists, they also benefit from the clouding of issues that typically occurs when religion is brought into the picture.
The Impact Of Religion
While many countries in Europe have either abandoned religious concerns entirely, or have at least reduced its importance in the greater political scheme of things, it seems that the United States has taken quite the opposite approach, and has indeed embraced the religious issue, with all its inherent benefits and flaws. While the rest of the world has seen fit to veto government-approved deaths –whether in war or via the death penalty–the United States seems bent on promoting such practices. As it is, the political sphere in the United States bears many of the earmarks of a religious conflict, with few of the characteristics of politics.
Summary
Politics
- Is increasingly being inundated with religious issues
- Often appeals to the sentiments of the religious factions of society
- Political rallies on the conservative side seem to be centered in religious groups
Religion
- Is often used by conservatives to sway public opinion
- Is thought to have been instrumental in winning crucial votes
- Is almost never brought up–much less relied on–by liberals
