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Religion and Politics

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Religion and Politics
Religion and Politics

Historically, religion and politics have always played a very significant part in our everyday lives, dating back to the ancient pharaohs of Africa to our modern day society, religion have had a profound effect on our existence as a society. For a good example of how religion affects politics in our modern world we need not look very far but in our own backyard. The influence of Catholicism on Latin American politics, and the role religion plays on Middle Eastern politics have had a profound affect in those related societies. After examining the affects of religion into the above mentioned societies it is clear that the introduction of religion into politics has proven to be suppressive and counterproductive to most third world countries, and various subcultures in first world countries. A very well known writer and scholar on the history of Egypt, Budge, E. A. Wallis, "Egyptian Religion and Society: Egyptian Ideas of the Future Life (Library of the Mystic Arts)". Citadel Press. August 1, 1991. Wrote, “Most scholars have concluded that, in later times at least, there was no close personal tie between the individual Egyptian and the gods, that the gods remained aloof, that their relationship to humans was indirect, communicated to him by means of the king”. We must remember that there was no established book or set of teachings, as the Bible or the Qur'an, and few prescribed conditions of behavior or conduct. Humans were guided essentially by human wisdom and trusted in their belief in the goodness of the gods and of their divine son, the king. An important concept in Egyptian life was the idea of justice. Although the Egyptian was entirely subservient to the state, the king had the duty of translating the will of the gods. The universe had been created by bringing order and justice to replace chaos, and only through the continuance of order and justice could the universe survive. The law of nature, of society,



References: Riding, A. In reviewing Penny Lernoux’s the Cry of the People (1980) Budge, E. A. Wallis, "Egyptian Religion and Society: Egyptian Ideas of the Future Life Library of the Mystic Arts)". Citadel Press. August 1, 1991 Lewis, B. The Jews of Islam. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1984, Opus, D. comments made during an interview with the Brazilian Herald (2005,p 3). Penny L. the Cry of the People (1980)

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