World Better Without Religion?
Question: “What do you say to someone who believes the world would be better without religion and politics.”Answer: Because of the conflicts that often arise due to religions and politics often it seems as if the world might be better without them. However, religion and politics are both ways of giving our world some sense of order and stability. Without them we would have a world ruled by anarchy and chaos
Religion is a set of beliefs and practices that help to explain our view of reality and of the metaphysical. Whereas politics is the process by which groups use to make decisions. There are political processes that take place within religious organizations and conversely, certainly politics have been shaped by religion.
When politics are involved in any organization or system it is inevitable that conflicts will arise. This is because politics on its most fundamental level are nearly always about a struggle for power. As a result nearly every religion or spiritual community experiences internal conflicts from time to time.
The Buddha, in his infinite wisdom, recognized this inherent problem. As a result he listed causing disharmony within the sangha (congregation) as one of the five worst offenses one can commit. He compared it to being as bad as killing one’s father or mother. So it is obvious that he thought that harmony within the sangha was very important. Therefore, within Buddhism the sangha is referred to as a “jewel” and great effort is made by practitioners to get along.
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