Pagan Prompt: Politics
pagan_prompts asked: Do your religious/spiritual beliefs impact your political beliefs? Do political prayers, magic, and activism have a place in your practices? What is your reaction to hearing about such things as Hanuman devotees praying for Barack Obama's victory in the American presidential elections? Do you believe that religious beliefs have a place in government? Whether you believe they do or do not, how much influence do you think is appropriate or permissible?
And
If you were the leader of your country how would your beliefs impact your actions and decisions?
Yeah, this is an old one, but I find it an interesting question.
For part one, I'm pretty much fine with people working metaphysically/spiritually to influence elections the same way I'm fine with people working to influence them on the material plane by doing things like volunteering or donating money. Where I have a beef is with people who try to do things with prayer or magic that they wouldn't do (or are legally forbidden to do) on the material plane. Like praying for someone to die or be injured. That's not okay. If I wouldn't go break someone's leg with a bat, I'm not going to work a spell that they break their leg by accident. That's my magical ethic.
There's something to be said for folks who worry that praying for someone to win an election is essentially praying for people to change their minds, which is like brainwashing and thus not okay. This is why I myself don't generally work magic or pray in that direction -- I'd rather pray or work magic for truth to come out, for lies to be dispelled, for justice to be served.
As for the second part: My beliefs are what led me to my religion, not the other way around, so I would have no problem using them to guide me. And really, I have no problem with conservative religious folks using their beliefs to guide them when those beliefs are not at odds with the oath of office they take. If a Bob swears to uphold the Constitution, he can't turn around and let the religious belief that, say, miscegenation is an abomination guide him to reinstate the laws struck down by Loving v. Virginia. He has to abide by the law. But he can use the belief that the poor should be cared for to guild policy decisions, say. Or the belief that war is wrong to guide foreign policy.
And
If you were the leader of your country how would your beliefs impact your actions and decisions?
Yeah, this is an old one, but I find it an interesting question.
For part one, I'm pretty much fine with people working metaphysically/spiritually to influence elections the same way I'm fine with people working to influence them on the material plane by doing things like volunteering or donating money. Where I have a beef is with people who try to do things with prayer or magic that they wouldn't do (or are legally forbidden to do) on the material plane. Like praying for someone to die or be injured. That's not okay. If I wouldn't go break someone's leg with a bat, I'm not going to work a spell that they break their leg by accident. That's my magical ethic.
There's something to be said for folks who worry that praying for someone to win an election is essentially praying for people to change their minds, which is like brainwashing and thus not okay. This is why I myself don't generally work magic or pray in that direction -- I'd rather pray or work magic for truth to come out, for lies to be dispelled, for justice to be served.
As for the second part: My beliefs are what led me to my religion, not the other way around, so I would have no problem using them to guide me. And really, I have no problem with conservative religious folks using their beliefs to guide them when those beliefs are not at odds with the oath of office they take. If a Bob swears to uphold the Constitution, he can't turn around and let the religious belief that, say, miscegenation is an abomination guide him to reinstate the laws struck down by Loving v. Virginia. He has to abide by the law. But he can use the belief that the poor should be cared for to guild policy decisions, say. Or the belief that war is wrong to guide foreign policy.