Religion & Politics

Near as I can determine, the wording of the adage is either "Religion and politics should never be discussed, if you want to keep friends" or " Religion and politics should never be discussed at the dinner table (or in another version, in polite company.)" Or I suppose one could just take the stance that they simply shouldn't be discussed, period. That seems a little extreme. Regardless, I was recently reminded of that old saw because I had decided to espouse, unsolicited, my political views. I was even asked how I would like it if somebody espoused their religious views to me. Would that person's sincere concern for my immortal soul earn them a pass or, as was suggested, would I more likely resent it?

I'll get back to that question, but it got me to thinking about why these two particular topics are considered out of bounds and just how comparable they really are.

First, why just these two subjects? Of course the passion that people have for their politics or religion is at the crux of the matter, but that's not what puts them in the red zone. I think the similarity that makes them so touchy is faith. By definition, faith does not have evidence or supporting arguments. People do not want to defend their faith. They simply want it to be accepted.

And as far as religion goes, I'm fine with that. While most religions contain some element of evangelizing as a duty, it is not an essential requirement. In other words, you don't have to drag your friends and family along in order to get salvation. And salvation is what both religion and politics offer. With religion, it's a simple deal. If you have faith, you will be saved. With politics, there is a bit more that's involved. There, the deal is, if you have faith, AND persuade enough of your fellow citizens to also have faith, we (the politicians) will give you salvation.

So the extra requirement is that you have to get them elected before they can deliver. Sort of like you can't get into heaven unless you bring five friends. Your salvation depends on bringing others along. That's a deal changer. Now, it's not just acceptable to espouse and persuade, it's crucial for my salvation. Different game, different rules. Am I supposed to risk my salvation to spare your feelings? And why are you getting your nose out of joint to begin with? Faith in politics or politicians needs to be challenged. People may view their politics as sacred, but that shouldn't be so. It's analogous to faith, but it's not really faith. In fact, your political views need to be challenged. My salvation depends on it.