The Power of Religion

Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Catholicism, Buddhism; when looked at closely it is obvious to see the many similarities between them. Religions were created to find some reasoning in the world, and for sure, they have done so for billions of people across the planet, over hundreds of generations. However, for many, many others, it is a kind of ‘Big Brother’; a violent, politically influenced thought police looming over their heads.

What is the prominence of religion in different cultures?Tasmania; just a tiny little island in southern waters that a lot of the world probably have no idea exists. We sit here, free to do whatever we like; an entirely democratic society with no sign of religious prejudices. Meanwhile, on the other side of the earth, people are being murdered purely on the basis of their beliefs or their actions. While many countries are striving for a multicultural status, some religious groups would do anything to rid ‘their land’ of foreign influence and religion. With the influence of Christianity growing ever greatly, the world’s Christian population is said to hit approximately 2.6 billion by 2025. Even in communist China, Christianity is estimated to be growing by around 28 000 converts each day (oktravel.com). This is mostly due to the horrific rise in evangelical Christians.

Christian evangelists and missionaries travel about the world preaching the Bible, in an attempt to convert anyone in their path. ‘A Christian missionary is commissioned by the Lord to make disciples, followers of Christ. Jesus commands all Christians to share the Gospel, the message of His death and resurrection that conquered the penalty and power of sin.’ (gotquestions.com). In other words, you could say that their grand goal, their one dream, is to create a world under one religion. Akin to the Blues Brothers, they are on a mission from God. Evangelists have even swept up television networks and radio stations earning the name ‘televangelists’. Televangelism is extremely prominent in the USA where it has been evolving for a near eighty years.

However, within countries such as these (Australia, USA) freedom of speech is still generally granted, and your life is your choice, while many countries and states in the world are under one, specific religion. For example, in some countries throughout the Middle East and Africa, Islam is basically chosen for you. You are from birth, Islamic, and grow up believing that there is no other true way to live. Being brought up in an Islamic home, taught in an Islamic school, and surrounded by only Islamic people, you have little choice in the matter. In these countries, there is absolutely no distinction between their religion and culture.

What are some of the grand problems within world religions today?Tracking back through history, we find the everlasting effects of the undeniable power of religion. Many infamous happenings, groups and leaders, for example, Adolf Hitler, the Klu Klux Klan and the Jonestown Massacre, should have taught the leaders of the world a lesson on religion. Problems still persist today with conflicts happening all over the world such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Essentially, Israel and Palestine have been battling for centuries. Their religious differences simply will not allow them to live together. Another of religions extensive problems lies in the Catholic Church and their blatant abuse of the power of religion. Everyone knows there have been some instances of paedophilia behind the closed doors of the church; however, it is not until now that the Pope and his priests have been confronted. Obviously people in the hierarchy of the church know what is going on, and they have, through the use of the sometimes disastrous power of religion, hidden it away from the people of the world. They believe that they are above the people of the world, and because they have God on their side, they do not need to live by basic humanitarian law. Finally, the media have fixed pressure upon these kings of righteousness by bringing these issues to light.

What effect does religion have on what we see in the media?The media is a vessel for persuasion, and religious groups, not unlike any other groups, will use this to their advantage.

Religion seeps through in the media; whether done behind the scenes or out in the open, it is evident. The influence can be both positive and negative. In the case of paedophilia and the Catholic Church, the pressure put on by the media can easily be seen as positive as the general public has been confronted with news headlines and reports, no longer allowing the Catholic Church to hide within their own protective little bubble.

Censorship is an everlasting issue with endless arguments from both sides of the spectrum, and religion plays perhaps one of the largest roles in the censorship of public issues and television. Christian conservatives demand that biblical family values should remain prominent in the media, and have even gone so far as to petition against numerous Television shows, musical groups, and radio stations. Certain literature, textbooks, sex education, and evolution are also being petitioned against by certain religious groups because they are considered to be against their religion. Another example of this religious censorship is the issue of the Muslim prophet, Mohammed. In 2004, Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh was murdered after his documentary, ‘Submission’, depicted the prophet Mohammed in a somewhat unorthodox way. Since then, various incidents have taken place, including: riots carried out by Danish Muslims (in which over a hundred people were killed after police opened fire into the crowd) in response to twelve cartoons of the prophet that were published in a Danish newspaper; death threats against Dutch politician Geert Wilders after releasing his film, ‘Fitna’; and more recently, threats by a Muslim group in the USA against the creators of the television show, ‘South Park’, for their latest episodes aired in the US.

What effect does religion have on politics?Religion has an enormously powerful effect on the ways of politics, whether openly admitted or unmentioned.

The separation of church and state is a much discussed principle within politics. ‘The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution charges the government with guaranteeing religious freedom while prohibiting it from advancing the interests of any one faith.’ (pewforum.org). However, ‘God bless America’ is basically a presidential catch-phrase, along with other statements like ‘in God we trust’ and ‘God bless you’. As we all know, these politicians are referring specifically to the one Christian, God, therefore, the First Amendment has basically been ignored.

A lot of leaders throughout our time have used religion to sway their people in a certain direction; usually the direction of an advantageous political act. In a 1922 speech, the infamous Adolf Hitler used religious justification to convince the German people that the entire Jewish race must be eradicated:

"My feeling as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded only by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God's truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter. In boundless love as a Christian and as a man I read through the passage which tells us how the Lord at last rose in His might and seized the scourge to drive out of the Temple the brood of vipers and adders. How terrific was his fight against the Jewish poison. Today, after two thousand years, with deepest emotion I recognize more profoundly than ever before the fact that it was for this that He had to shed his blood upon the Cross. As a Christian I have no duty to allow myself to be cheated, but I have the duty to be a fighter for truth and justice. ...And if there is anything which could demonstrate that we are acting rightly, it is the distress that daily grows. For as a Christian I have also a duty to my own people. And when I look on my people I see them work and work and toil and labor, and at the end of the week they have only for their wages wretchedness and misery. When I go out in the morning and see these men standing in their queues and look into their pinched faces, then I believe I would be no Christian, but a very devil, if I felt no pity for them, if I did not, as did our Lord two thousand years ago, turn against those by whom today this poor people are plundered and exploited." (atheism.about.com)

This speech, and many to follow, helped to justify his abuse of the power of religion to the German people.

How has religion been used as a justification?The Crusades are perhaps the most historic example of religious justification. Similar to the Holocaust, it all began with a persuasive, political speech. Delivered by Pope Urban II in AD 1095, this speech began the Crusades, which lasted close to two hundred years, from 1096-1270:

“I, or rather the Lord, beseech you as Christ’s heralds…to persuade all people of whatever rank…to carry aid promptly to those Christians and to destroy that vile race from the lands of our friends…Christ commands it.” (templarhistory.com)

During these two hundred years, there were eight crusades, as well as a ‘Children’s Crusade’. Crusaders journeyed miles upon miles, some taking with them their families, into Muslim territory, killing all in their path. The main goal being their ‘City of God’, Jerusalem. Crusaders were promised that their sins would be forgiven, and that Heaven would be waiting for them.

The current issues with Islamic extremism are a modern example of justifying violence in the name of religion. Muslim terrorists are told that if they carry out these certain acts of violence against the western world, they will be showered with riches and happiness in the afterlife.

If acts such as these can be justified in the name of religion, then religion does not only have immense power, religion is power.