Religious Politization, Here Are Defenitions, Explanations And Examples

Politization Of Religion Is (Unsplash)

YOGYAKARTA - In general, it is said that what appears like a religious conflict is actually political, not religion'. This view is widespread in the West, especially in foreign policy, international relations, and even the circle of human rights. There are similar claims that what happens is economic, not religion', or ethnic, not religion'. Then politicization of religion is?

This assessment is often sourced from the belief that religion itself is not the main factor in human events. Religion is considered an epiphenomist, something that can be caused but cannot cause anything else. Real factors in social and political phenomena are assumed to be political, economic, ethnic, environmental, social, anything but religion.

As Edward Luttwak noted decades ago, analysts who are ready to "interpret economic causality, who tend to dissect social differentiation more smoothly, and who will carefully categorize political affiliation, are still in the habit of ignoring religious roles, religious institutions, and religious motivations in explaining politics and conflict, and even in reporting their concrete modalities. Similarly, the role of religious leaders, religious institutions, and religiously motivated laymen in conflict resolution has also been neglected or treated as marginal phenomena that hardly need to be considered."

Of course, it is equally inaccurate to go to opposite extremes and assume that religion has always been a key factor in human relations, especially in human conflicts. We need to admit that religious claims often become masks for other motives and interests, especially politics and the economy. In most non-Western worlds, especially in very religious environments, there is a tendency to overestimate religious roles.

Politicization Of Religion Is

This emphasizes that events are not religion but politics can lead to misunderstandings about the nature of religion and politics. This can be equated by saying that a table is not round but red. But the table can be round and red, and policies and persecution can be religious and political.

Christian Democrats in Europe and Latin America claim religious inspiration and political aspirations. Founder documents of America and Canada, and documents from many other countries, refer to God. Religion and politics are interrelated in many countries in Southeast Asia.

Religion almost always affects politics. Usually not by creating thermocracy' that is imagined but by shaping the heart and mind, hopes and dreams. Our main beliefs and beliefs affect our views on history, justice, law, mercy, power, human nature, and evil. And, of course, it is impossible to approach politics in a way that is completely separated from our views on history, justice, law, mercy, power, human nature, and crime.

Many people at this conference defend religious freedom and believe not because of their religion, not because they are separated from their religion, but because of their religion. Religion can lead to a commitment to human rights.

The key question is whether religion and politics will be interrelated, or whether politics will affect religion or religion affects politics: it will definitely happen. The problem is whether this will be done in a good or bad way.

The claim that something is political and not religious is most often used to refer to political manipulation of religion, something that happens too often. But it must be emphasized that religion can be politically manipulated only if it is present and significant enough to be manipulated. A politician can cynically urge religious sentiment to seek re-election or vilify opponents only if religious sentiment really exists. Religious political manipulation assumes and requires the presence of religion -at the same time it must be political and religious.

"Therefore, I suggest that instead of describing something as politics, not religion, we describe it as manipulation of religious politics, or inconsistent use of religion."

There are many examples of such manipulation. Indeed, most cases of persecution or religious conflict occur when there is political interest. Only a few movements or regimes - such as ISIS, Saudi Arabia, or North Korea attack people just because they have different theology.

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