Religion has no place in the Government

      Christopher Hitchens famously said that “religion poisons everything.” Religion plays a vital role in our government. Religion is very influential in our country. 90% of our population are Christians: about 80% belong to the roman catholic. It is very evident that religion somehow affects the government in terms of enacting laws. Article III, Section 5, No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights. Even if there is a constitutional provision which prohibits a law respecting a religion, still our government is very careful in passing laws because it might be against or contrary to some religious beliefs which later on might affect their political future in the government.

For me, religion has no place in our government. This does not mean that religious people should be excluded from working in our government. Nor am I saying that it is not proper for our government officials to be influenced by different religious beliefs. In passing laws, the government has to see to it that it does not violate any religious beliefs. This is the problem that we are facing right now. Just consider the death penalty. We do not have death penalty because religion opposes it. But what if religion is not involve in passing laws? Maybe death penalty is still existing and less number of criminals or maybe not.

In resolving government problems, religion must not interfere because the solution is not always found in sacred texts or religious beliefs. Religious beliefs might be the answer for thousands of problems before but it not anymore today. I may be wrong but obviously religion does not offer wise solutions to twenty-first-century problems.