Religion and politics must not mix

7:59am Wednesday 30th April 2008

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RECENT correspondence in the Citizen prompts me to offer some thoughts on why churches should stay out of politics.

Politics is, or should be, based upon rational assessments of which policies will be of most benefit to the people, and various interest groups are accommodated within political systems so that all views are taken into account.

The church, however, has been afforded disproportionate status in this country, reserved seats in the House of Lords being a glaring example. This is divisive as other religions, the non-religious and lobbyists see themselves as being unfairly treated.

There is, of course, a moral dimension to the work of politicians, and on many matters they must weigh up the relative merits of pragmatism and their own beliefs and values.

Churches have always tried to claim the high moral ground but no religion or church holds ownership of such values as peace, justice, honesty, or compassion, or the desire to do good. The idea that goodness is the prerogative of religion is plain wrong.

Surely we should hope our politicians do good because they believe in what is right rather than because they are scared into it by threats of hell fire and the like.

Political reality requires real understanding, rational analysis and firm decision taking, in the real world - it does not need policies dictated by religious dogma.

Lastly, if we are to accept that churches have the right to influence political decisions we must then ask which churches? Do we want our politicians to be guided by the wilder fringes of religious belief? And if not, who decides?

M J Kiernan, Lancaster.