Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics
Amongst countless issues of the decade, an appealing dispute, that is persistent, is the significant impact of religion on contemporary politics and its perpetual distinction between the positive and negative influences that is associated with the effect. Religion has consistently been a resilient drive of change, development and settlement. Religion has been the core of several systems of human affairs that co-exist today including economics, welfare, law, philosophy, art and most importantly, politics.[1] However, according to historian Farhang Mehr, "... a realistic appraisal of the current impact of religion on the official policy and governmental structure of each country can only be made in its historical context: the record of the colonial rule in that country, indigenous conditions, cultural background, and people 's real and perceived grievances."[2] Relevant examples consisting of the attitude of religion in the political affairs of Israel[3], the influence of the Roman Catholic Church in shaping the entirety of politics in Quebec[4] and the emergence of Islam as a political force in many countries like Iran[5], reveal that these events and many others throughout history are substantial catalysts in determining the intensity of the religious impact on modern-day politics.[6]
The impact of religion on politics cannot be seen with all its fierceness and intensity anywhere else in the world but in the Middle East as it highlights the Arab-Jewish wars in the region that have been going on and off for almost the past 60 years.[7] Religion is of utmost importance in the Holy Land (Israel) and hence, religious disputes are a commonality to the Israeli crowd which is a combination of religious (observant) and non-religious (secular) Jews.[8] The arrangement creates an environment where either party has harsh demands and even though, neither group ends up winning; it always leads to frustration on either side.[9] The role of state-supported religion is usually
The impact of religion on politics cannot be seen with all its fierceness and intensity anywhere else in the world but in the Middle East as it highlights the Arab-Jewish wars in the region that have been going on and off for almost the past 60 years.[7] Religion is of utmost importance in the Holy Land (Israel) and hence, religious disputes are a commonality to the Israeli crowd which is a combination of religious (observant) and non-religious (secular) Jews.[8] The arrangement creates an environment where either party has harsh demands and even though, neither group ends up winning; it always leads to frustration on either side.[9] The role of state-supported religion is usually
Cited: Blumberg, Arnold. The History of Israel. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998. http://www.questia.com/read/98623170. Knowles, Valerie. Strangers at our Gates. Toronto, ON: Dundurn Press, 2007. Liebman, Charles S., and Asher Cohen. "Synagogue and State: Religion and Politics in Modern Israel." Harvard International Review 20, no. 2 (1998): 70. http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-30308720. Merriam-Webster, "Zionism." Last modified 2012. Accessed November 15, 2012. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zionism. Milton-Edwards, Beverly. Islamic Fundamentalism since 1945. New York: Routledge, 2004. http://www.questia.com/read/108858736. Quinn, Herbert F. The Union Nationale: A Study in Quebec Nationalism. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963. http://www.questia.com/read/2983146. Rubenstein, Richard L., ed. Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics. New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987. http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. Sharkansky, Ira. Politics and Policymaking: In Search of Simplicity. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 2002. http://www.questia.com/read/105768998. Suyama, Nobuaki. "Quebec: Populate or Perish." New Zealand International Review 22, no. 3 (1997): 15+. http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-20059576. [2] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 125, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [3] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 187, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [4] Herbert F. Quinn, The Union Nationale: A Study in Quebec Nationalism (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963), 9, http://www.questia.com/read/2983146. [5] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 124, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [6] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 125, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [7] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 187, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [8] Ira Sharkansky, Rituals of Conflict: Religion, Politics, and Public Policy in Israel (Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 1996), vii, http://www.questia.com/read/97319679. [9] Ira Sharkansky, Rituals of Conflict: Religion, Politics, and Public Policy in Israel (Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner, 1996), vii, http://www.questia.com/read/97319679. [10] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 187, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [11] Charles S. Liebman and Asher Cohen, 'Synagogue and State: Religion and Politics in Modern Israel, ' Harvard International Review 20, no. 2 (1998): 70, http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-30308720. [12] Charles S. Liebman and Asher Cohen, 'Synagogue and State: Religion and Politics in Modern Israel, ' Harvard International Review 20, no. 2 (1998): 70, http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-30308720. [13] Charles S. Liebman and Asher Cohen, "Synagogue and State: Religion and Politics in Modern Israel," Harvard International Review 20, no. 2 (1998): 70, http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-30308720. [14] Merriam-Webster, "Zionism." Accessed November 15, 2012. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/zionism. [15] Arnold Blumberg, The History of Israel (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1998), 78, http://www.questia.com/read/98623170. [16] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 188, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [17] Valerie Knowles, Strangers at our Gates, (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2007), 17. [18] Valerie Knowles, Strangers at our Gates, (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2007), 15. [19] Valerie Knowles, Strangers at our Gates, (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2007), 17. [20] Herbert F. Quinn, The Union Nationale: A Study in Quebec Nationalism (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963), vii, http://www.questia.com/read/2983146. [21] Herbert F. Quinn, The Union Nationale: A Study in Quebec Nationalism (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963), 9, http://www.questia.com/read/2983146. [22] Herbert F. Quinn, The Union Nationale: A Study in Quebec Nationalism (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963), 10, http://www.questia.com/read/2983146. [23] Herbert F. Quinn, The Union Nationale: A Study in Quebec Nationalism (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963), 10, http://www.questia.com/read/2983146. [24] Valerie Knowles, Strangers at our Gates, (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2007), 23. [25] Valerie Knowles, Strangers at our Gates, (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2007), 23-24. [26] Nobuaki Suyama, "Quebec: Populate or Perish," New Zealand International Review 22, no. 3 (1997), http://www.questia.com/read/1G1-20059576. [27] Herbert F. Quinn, The Union Nationale: A Study in Quebec Nationalism (Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963), 11, http://www.questia.com/read/2983146. [28] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 124, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [29] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 125, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [30] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 126, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [31] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 127, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [32] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 147, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328. [33] Beverly Milton-Edwards, Islamic Fundamentalism since 1945 (New York: Routledge, 2004), 2, http://www.questia.com/read/108858736. [34] Beverly Milton-Edwards, Islamic Fundamentalism since 1945 (New York: Routledge, 2004), 2, http://www.questia.com/read/108858736. [35] Beverly Milton-Edwards, Islamic Fundamentalism since 1945 (New York: Routledge, 2004), 83, http://www.questia.com/read/108858736. [36] Richard L. Rubenstein, ed., Spirit Matters: The Worldwide Impact of Religion on Contemporary Politics (New York: Paragon House Publishers, 1987), 192, http://www.questia.com/read/94614328.