Should Religion And State Be Separate Regarding Women's Reproductive Rights In America?

Should Religion and State be Separated While Decisions Making Concerning Women's Reproductive Rights in America?

The separation of religion and state has been a longstanding debate in American politics, particularly when it comes to women's reproductive rights. On one hand, religious beliefs can provide a moral compass and personal guidance for individuals, while on the other hand, allowing these beliefs to influence political decisions can have negative consequences. In Sophocles' Antigone, the protagonist's decision to defy the king's decree and bury her brother highlights the tension between personal beliefs and state authority. Similarly, in modern times, religious beliefs have influenced political decisions regarding women's reproductive

Antigone believed that it was her moral duty to give her brother a proper burial, despite the king's decree prohibiting it. This conflict is evident in Antigone's dialogue with her sister Ismene: "Ismene, I am going to bury him. Will you come?" (Antigone, 86) "But how can I? I am so afraid for you." (Ismene, 88) "I will not ask you, or if I do, you will not come." (Antigone, 89) Antigone's decision to defy the king's decree and bury her brother represents an act of civil disobedience, which challenges the authority of the state and raises questions about the limits of state power. Antigone's actions also represent the tension between personal beliefs and state authority, as she believes that her moral duty to give her brother a proper burial overrides the king's decree. The conflict between personal beliefs and state authority in Antigone is also evident in the dialogue between Antigone and Creon, the king: "Your edict, King, was strong, but all your strength is weakness itself against the immortal unrecorded laws of God. They are not merely now: they were, and shall be,

The issue of abortion is a prime example of this conflict. In a 2019 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, it was found that 54% of Americans believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 44% believe it should be illegal in all or most cases (Pew Research Center, 2019). Religious beliefs play a significant role in shaping these opinions. According to the same survey, 77% of white evangelical Protestants believe that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, while 70% of religiously unaffiliated Americans believe that it should be legal in all or most cases. Religious beliefs have influenced political decisions regarding abortion in America. In 2020, the Supreme Court heard a case regarding a Louisiana law that required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. This law was heavily influenced by religious beliefs and was supported by anti-abortion activists. However, women's rights advocates and health organizations argued that this law would lead to the closure of abortion clinics and limit women's access to safe and legal abortions. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court struck down the Louisiana law, stating that it placed an "undue burden" on women's access to abortion (CNN, 2020). The intersection