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Amendment of the US Constitution, for example, the lawmakers clearly stated that the
Congress should not make laws to respect any religion or prohibit the exercise of any
(Greenawalt 101). In the most recent occurrence, Ireland has voted to allow abortion despite
the nation being predominantly Catholic (Henley). This becomes a pointer on how citizens
want their freedom to make personal choices without having to follow religious beliefs.
Religion should preach its beliefs but the state should be left to make laws.
Despite the above reasons why religion should not play part in the formulation of
laws, it plays a major role in shaping people’s morality (Pollack and Daniel 67). These
religions teach love and the importance of taking care of the less fortunate in the society
(Pollack and Daniel 87). Religion also teaches believers to be hopeful. Believers are taught
the need to wait upon their god to deliver them from troubles of this world and take them to a
place where they shall have eternal happiness (Pollack and Daniel 135). This, therefore,
makes people go through challenges without giving up. In his 1983 book, George Will wrote
that the first question of the government is how its citizens should leave (Will 34). This
question is also at the centre of religion which means that the government and religion should
work together in shaping the lives of people involved. As such, religion should have a say on
the laws of the land.
As it can be seen from the above arguments, religion and state have a number of areas
where they work well without conflict but still have areas where they conflict with each
other. That notwithstanding, however, it is better to have a clear separation between religion
and state. No religion should be allowed to influence laws of the land because no religion is
professed by all members of a state.
