Religion And Politics

is no such thing as “religious trade” on its own. But the trade of a religious person is something real. It means that a person with a religious mindset will carry those values into his business—he won’t cheat customers, he’ll be honest in his dealings. That’s what makes it the trade of a religious person. Similarly, if a truly religious person becomes a doctor, he won’t see patients merely as a source of income. He will treat them with sincerity, give them the right medicine, and care for them with compassion. Such noble conduct is what makes his practice the work of a religious person. So, in a practical sense, religion means a religious human being. If such people exist in society, then through their actions, a religious atmosphere will be created. But if truly religious individuals are absent, then no amount of religious slogans or emotional displays in the name of religion can turn a society into a religious one. “Religious trade,” if it exists, is simply the trade of a religious person. Without such a person, this phrase has no real meaning. Likewise, “religious politics” is nothing more than the politics of a religious person. Without truly religious individuals, real religious politics does not exist. It is the conduct of religious people that gives politics a religious character. If such individuals are not present, then even centuries of shouting religious slogans cannot create genuine religious politics.