By Promod Puri
Whereas rituals, customs and traditions furnish symbolic and
distinctive identity to a religion, the pathways to divinity which are
paved with morals and ethics, are often debased by its despicable
ceremonial rites and practices.
It is in this context that the contemporary and progressive political
ideologies disdain religion. Its nature is customarily interpreted thru
inherent ritualistic practices rather than its doctrines of ethics and
noble thoughts.
This article delves into the subject of “politics and religion”, and
seeks the entry of virtuous, logical, informed, and intelligent
religiosity in the political constitution serving the modern societies.
The contempt for religion in both Communist and democratic-socialist
political ideologies is based on a portrayal which usually embodies
rituals, customs, and traditions of a religious order.
Religion has become an official or legal taboo in the political and
bureaucratic functioning of secular democracies and socialist regimes.
Separation of church, temple, mosque, or synagogue from the state is the
byword of the current political thinking.
Even though religion has significantly contributed its philosophies,
universal truths, and theories to the school of political science, the
two are deemed separate disciplines which influence the affairs and
social character of a civil society.
Modern political pundits and their students or observers have not
gone beyond religious customs and beliefs to explore the intelligence
and enlightenment generated over the centuries in discernable
interpretations which touch every aspect of human endeavors including
politics.
Philosopher T. S. Eliot “believed that democratic societies rejected
the influence of an established church at their peril, for in doing so
they cut themselves off from the kind of ethical wisdom that can come
only from participation in a tradition. Thus, he argued, such a society
would degenerate into tyranny and/or social and cultural
fragmentation”. (
Source: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Chapter: Religion and Politics).
Outright purging of religion without recognizing its universal
messages of ethical and secular nature has been a major part of the
liberal political appeal. But this appeal also holds the hyped social
impression that “politics is a dirty game”. The “game” is soiled by
immoral, corrupt, and evil intents. And the latter are the cause that
politics becomes “dirty” since ethics are either optional or
non-binding.
“Politics and religion must be kept separate” is an acknowledged
doctrine in secular and democratic-socialist systems. But there are
elements in most religions which are liberal, secular, and democratic.
For these reasons, politics can incorporate religion in its order,
whereas religion can keep its sanctity if the “dirty politics” stay out
of it.
It is a fact that the laws of the land with their universal
application have been constituted from religious teachings to institute
political ideologies.
Barack Obama cites that “Majority of great reformers in American
history were not only motivated by faith but repeatedly used religious
language to argue for their cause”.
Nevertheless, religion does not find a liking in progressive
political behavior. Rather it is inferred as meddling in the affairs of a
political system.
In secular societies, demarcations have been marked for the
functioning and observation of religious customs and traditions to
safeguard political entities from religious entities. However, as
religion still enjoys certain privileges and rights besides its deep
roots in the psyche of people, it does influence public opinion.
But as long a religion exists with its antiquated, irrational, and
irresponsible rituals, customs, traditions, and beliefs, an intelligent
society will not accept them as part of its political culture. Moreover,
as societies are increasingly becoming culturally pluralists, religious
representations from rituals, are not acceptable in non-coherent
populations.
In this scenario, senseless convictions along with ceremonial
rituals, customs, and traditions need to be disqualified from a
political discipline. Rather let religious doctrines based on ethics and
moral values contribute to support and enrich political ideologies.
Politics in general, is not, and should not be, confined to skills
and strategies to seek or manage power. Besides governance, guidance is
also its objective which comes from conscientious and sociological
logics offered by religion over the centuries.
In fact, religion itself began as a socio-political movement from the very beginning of its origin.
Essentially, religion is a code of conduct for a civil society. It
all started from here. With society’s progression, the code of conduct
also evolved resulting in its expansion and formalization.
As civilization started taking roots management of the society began.
Origin of religion can be traced as part of human evolution. Ancient
religious orders basically were a set of laws and principles for some
acceptable behavior in an emerging civil society.
Later all aspects of human cultures including presumptions and myths,
and overwhelming elements of nature were covered in one order. In all
these developments, social unity and coherence were the natural needs
and dependencies of an advancing society.
An organized collection of beliefs and behaviors, a set of ideas
started pouring in this social construction. And with the introduction
of the Supreme Being, man’s most intuitive conception or imagery, the
assemblage got sanctified.
And during this stage of evolution when spirituality and supernatural
elements started dominating religion that its philosophical and learned
aspects began branching out in various faculties. As such political
science emerged as a separate discipline to guide the management of a
civil society.
In this management, ethics play a significant role in the development
and disciplining of a civic society. Ethics hold the society together.
Ethics delivered through religion have more commanding acceptance by the
society than the constitutional laws and statutes executed in political
regimes.
The acceptance of ethics as a theological appeal finds conscientious
stay in the minds of people. Many known statesmen and leaders have
effectively advocated religious ethics not only as part of their
political wisdom and temperament for better understanding and acceptance
of their messages but to underline the importance of faith in the
affairs of civil society as well.
From Mohammad to Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King Jr. to Nelson Mandela and
Dr. Ambedkar
all had religious commitments grounded in humanism, love, compassion,
and kindness to wage their political and social campaigns against
slavery, apartheid, discrimination, inequality, and untouchability based
on color, class, and caste.
Gandhi’s crusade against evils in the society and his political
discourse were derived from the Hindu scriptures of Upanishads
advocating the concepts of non-violence, truthfulness, self-discipline,
compassion, and virtuousness.
Obama, who believes in the power of faith, has sought a “serious
debate about how to reconcile faith with our modern, pluralistic
democracy”.
He argues, “more fundamentally the discomfort of some progressives
with any hint of religion has often prevented us from effectively
addressing issues in moral terms”. In a public address, he said:
“secularists are wrong when they ask believers to leave their religion
at the door before entering into the public square”. (“Obama’s 2006
Speech on Faith and Politics”, The New York Times, June 28,2006
edition).
“Before entering the public square”, what Obama is demanding instead
is the infusion of true religion, without its symbolism, in the
political environment to establish moral guidelines in its ideologies.
In a world, which is politically divided into two castes of Leftists
and Rightists with sub-castes of Extreme Left and Extreme Right,
ideological fanaticism runs high along with elements of power, ego, and
greed, which are opportunistically embraced by all political
establishments. In this “dirty game”, socialist idealism becomes just
sloganeering.
The idiosyncrasy of the present socio-political left and the right
mental constitution is that the leftists have a revulsion for religion.
And the rightists are religious fanatics. The former ridicules and
rejects religion and the latter is narcissistically illiterate about it.
And this is where the science of politics must step in to explore the
true spirit of religion based on its universal teachings to find
permanent residency in political leadership.
Deepak Chopra says: “Enlightened leadership is spiritual if we
understand spirituality not as some kind of religious dogma or ideology
but as the domain of awareness where we experience values like truth,
goodness, beauty, love, and compassion, also intuition, creativity,
insight, and focused attention”.
Paved with these divine and acknowledged values religion offers an
ever-guiding relationship with politics in the service of humanity and
its environment.
(Promod Puri resides in Vancouver, Canada. He is a journalist and author of Hinduism Beyond Rituals, Customs, and Traditions).
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