As
it often happens when I am with a group of people we end up talking about religion. One
time an atheist in the group spoke up and said that he wished we would talk
about something else. He didn’t believe in god, and religion was all about money
and manipulating people. Why couldn't we talk about something else like
politics. I quickly pointed out that if he didn’t like subjects that were all
about money and manipulating people we certainly couldn’t talk about politics either.
He smiled and we changed the subject.
I
got to thinking about this conversation again when I read an article about a
group of atheists, agnostics and free thinkers who felt like they were being
excluded from participating in politics. It struck me, why should atheists, agnostics
and free thinkers want anything to do with politics? I noticed that almost
every reason people give for disbelieving in god and religion could also be said
of politics too.
If
religion is true how come there are so many religions that contradict each
other? If politics is true how come there are many different views on how a
government should be run? If you
were born in a different country you might have a different religion. Of course
if you were born in a different country you might have a different political
persuasion as well. People believe in religion because that is how they were
raised. That is probably
how most people get their political views too. If politics is good, why is
there so much suffering in the world? Religion may be responsible for some suffering. But, Politics? No, never. Religion manipulates and extorts money from the poor and
uneducated. Granted this does happen, but I have known far more poor pastors than poor
politicians. Churches many be full of hypocrites but politicians don't have the reputation for doing what they say they will.
There is no scientific evidence for a god or religion. Of course there really
is no scientific evidence to back any given political party either.
I
am not trying to say that politics is a religion. I am simply saying that if I take the reasons
people give for disbelieving religion, I don’t see how I can believe in
politics either. Of course atheists, agnostics and free thinkers would be quick
to point out that religion is the thing that poisons politics. That if we could purge all religion from
politics then everything would be better. But, would that really solve the
problem? Allow me a moment of sarcasm here. If people just stopped praying
during election campaigns then, we could get rid of deficit spending, eliminate
corruption, and ensure everyone has health care.
If the arguments used against
religion are the arguments by which we determine truth, then politics isn’t
true. If some one is an
atheist I don’t see any reason they shouldn't be apolitical. They say there is
no god to hear our prayers and I am not sure there are any politicians to hear
them either.
