Political and Religious Ideas Have Always Been Identical

Little quiz: Which religious groups are in favor of separation of church and state and which religious groups want more of it? Most who follow such arguments would agree what are labeled liberal denominations are more in favor of separation while what are labeled conservative are not. Conservatives make the argument that separation of church and state is itself an endorsement of a political group. The implication is liberal separation of church and state is also an endorsement of a religious point of view. 

In arguing this, conservatives are agreeing with atheists. Politics and religion are the same thing or travel in an identical lane.   

The link laments the new left leaning religious groups who have training sessions on, I'm paraphrasing here, how to use religion to gain political advantage. At least, that is my understanding of the link. The link author is criticizing this activity by the left. 

Of course, there has always been use by the left of religious arguments. Regularly I see headlines like, "Jesus was woke" or "Jesus would welcome LGBT+." The Bible provides lots of material to justify this view. It also provides material to oppose these views as well. 

So, which side is more guilty of using the Bible to justify its political views, liberals or conservatives? I'm not sure there is totally correct answer.  But this does provide a lesson. The lesson is all parties should stop using the Bible to justify their political views. If, for example, a group opposes gay marriage, it should admit the Bible never mentions gay marriage and the reason they oppose it is that they just don't like it personally. The same for interracial marriage, abortion and the entire list of sins. 

Some of the founding fathers pointed to the fervent role of religion in society and said turned down the opportunity to put Christianity into the Constitution. They also did not put Hinduism or anything else in there either. 

Almost every day we see efforts to force religious views into government and we see equally enthusiastic efforts to keep it out. Just now state legislatures across the country are trying to pass all kinds of laws against abortion and trans. We are also seeing successful grass roots efforts to defeat or overturn these laws. Both sides use religion when it is to their advantage.