How far do you think religion should encroach on politics & vice verse?

Question

In your opinion, what is the demarcation line?

Answer 1

I would put the line at the voting booth. In other words, allow people of the cloth to vote, but otherwise no political activity. Unless they want to let us tax all those tithes they get.

Answer 2

Not at all, in each case.

Answer 3

what would be a modern american example of this?

Answer 4

Politics & Religion are pretty much the same business.

So treat a Christian like a Democrat.  Either can run for office, but you should smack them down if they think the office 'belongs' to them.

Answer 5

Evey institution is inspired, at least implicitly, by a vision of man and his destiny, from which it derives the point of reference for its judgement, its hierarchy of values, its line of conduct. Most societies have formed their institutions in the recognition of a certain preeminence of man over things. Only the divinely revealed religion has clearly recognised man's origin and destiny in God, the Creator and Redeemer.The Catholic Church invites political authorities to measure their judgements and decisions against this inspired truth about God and man.

Societies not recognising this vision or rejecting it in the name of their independence from God are brought to seek their criteria and goal in themselves or to borrow them from some ideology. Since they do not admit that one can defend an objective criterion of good and evil, they arrogate to themselves an explicit or implicit totalitarian power over man and his destiny, as history shows.

The Church, because of her commission and competence, is not to be confused in any way with the political community. She is both the sign and the safeguard of the transcendent character of the human person. The Church respects and encourages the political freedom and responsibility of the citizen.

It is part of the Church's mission to pass moral judgments even in matters related to politics, whenever the fundamental rights of man or the salvation of souls require it.The means, the only means, she may use are those which are in accord with the Gospel and the welfare of all men according to the diversity of times and circumstances.

Answer 6

The more political power a religion has, the worse off the people will be.

Church and State should be entirely separate.

Consider: the Inquisition and the Crusades.

Answer 7

there should be separation between religion and state

Answer 8

I don't think religion should encroach at all. In the U.S., there is not one religion that people revolve their life around. It would be way too controversial. Religion and politics should be separate; however, certain morals and values from certain religions can cross over to politics if done in an unreligious manner. Yet those politicians and the Masons--apparently they have their own religion!

Answer 9

I think politics should be absolutely secular. Completly seperate from religion.

Answer 10

Religion and politics should be separate.  Some politicians would say anything to get power,  including pretending to be religious when they are not.  That is why people should not choose their leaders based on religious issues.

Answer 11

It should not encroach in any way shape or form.

Like someone else said, certain things may be shared, but this should just happen because certain ideas have overlapped. Not because the government copied from religion.