I think religion is as flawed an enterprise as any other human endeavor, but the interests and ambitions of religion are the right interests and ambitions.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Whether one believes or not, religion is as real a force in the life of the world as economics or politics, and it demands fair-minded attention. Even if you think the entire religious enterprise is at best misguided and at worst counterproductive, it remains vital, inspiring great good and, sometimes, great evil.
As a politician who cherishes religious conviction in his personal sphere, but regards politics as a domain belonging outside religion, I believe that this view is seriously flawed.
Religion is not a popular error; it is a great instinctive truth, sensed by the people, expressed by the people.
Among politicians the esteem of religion is profitable; the principles of it are troublesome.
Any simple claim that you need religion to be good is flat wrong.
Religion can be both good and bad - it is spirituality that counts.
I think that we are at a point in our country where we're trying to decide what role should religion play in the political arena.
Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.
I think that what went wrong with religion is the same thing that went wrong with politics. Is that it became too money based and too controlling. It's just a weakness that we human beings have for control - we want one thing and then we want more and then we want more.
Religion is a means of exploitation employed by the strong against the weak; religion is a cloak of ambition, injustice and vice.