Religion has been a big part of human civilization for thousands of years. In earlier centuries, religion influenced the laws of a particular society and how it was run. Rulers in the fifteenth century, and even earlier than that, took up religion to increase their reputation, popularity and acceptance with the people they ruled.
Today, religion has made a big change over time. If one is not introduced to religion at a young age, then there is a chance that they personally will not think much of it. I was not introduced to it as a child. You can find religion during your teenage or adult years, and then you would have to ask yourself, “If I didn’t believe in it before, what makes me believe now?”
We are free to believe or not believe, and free to tell our government what we want as part of our society. The United States of America has a government for the people, made by the people. For example, in fall 2011, Republicans tried to put religious language in a law called, “Matt’s Safe School Law.” In one of the paragraphs it stated: “Students cannot be punished for a statement of a sincerely-held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil’s parent or guardian.” It was criticized by the public, who said that it was interpreted as a license to bully. Why would the government want to put religion into laws? Is the government considering both religious and non-religious citizens?
In my opinion, religion does not belong in U.S. laws because there are citizens in this country who do not believe as strongly, or even at all, as others do. Since religion is a set of beliefs and practices, so should be the rules that people have to live by pertaining to that religion. When Republicans in the presidential debate mention their religion and how they will use it in their presidency, for me it gives the impression that they are forcing their beliefs of what’s right and what’s wrong onto the public.
The gay marriage law is another topic that is under controversy. I saw a statement on the internet that said, “It says gay marriage is prohibited according to the bible, now show me where it says it in the U.S. Constitution.” I was moved by this. As a free nation, we should be voting for which laws we want, not what the government wants.
Religion should be a belief, not a law.