In today's society, the notion of faith and politics being completely kept apart has been controversial. Both conservatives and liberals have become quite adept at mixing religion and politics in our current society. One can see an ongoing practice of civil religion demonstrated by presidents and politicians from around the world. Although religion has been ignored many times as a political matter, it has played an undeniable role in world politics It will look at the many variations of ideas of scholars and others who have influenced the way people think about religion and politics today. This essay will give three different outlooks on faith and politics being integrated, separated and mixed along with why politics and religion in the United States should be kept together to a certain extent.
The first outlook is the concept of religion and politics being completely separated. Locke claims that the idea of separation is linked to tolerance, that humans alone are intolerant. Locke addresses his concern to which he mentions many religious forces threatening to rule the state and its citizens (Locke
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Machiavelli mentions the power and dangers a religion can have with political power, and in its ability to prompt men to kill or to accept tyranny, and of the redeeming and spiritual aspects of political leadership (Tarcov 2014, 210). Forcing religion upon people can result in conflict and even more problems than allowing freedom of religion. As many times in the past, we have seen religion and politics that are intermixed result to conflict and injustice. Religion to many people is a personal matter that does not need the response of outside forces. Which is why it can be difficult to completely integrate politics and religion when many do not share the same views. Essentially, using religion as a political ploy can result in a variety of both positive or negative