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Single Idea 19927

[filed under theme 25. Social Practice / E. Policies / 2. Religion in Society ]

Full Idea

No one would be obliged by law if he considered it against his faith, and everyone could claim licence to do anything. Since the law of the state would then be wholly violated, it follows that the right of deciding about religion belongs to the sovereign.

Gist of Idea

State and religious law can clash, so the state must make decisions about religion

Source

Baruch de Spinoza (Tractatus Theologico-Politicus [1670], 16.21)

Book Ref

Spinoza,Benedict de: 'Theological-Political Treatise', ed/tr. Israel,Jonathan [CUP 2007], p.206

A Reaction

This is an era when British puritans emigrate to America, because the state is not sufficiently tolerant. The needs of sovereignty and of religion can be very far apart. You can see those with great religious devotion not liking this idea.

The 22 ideas with the same theme [relative roles of a government and a people's religion]:

2840 The whole state should pay for the worship of the gods [Aristotle]
19813 All legislators invoke God in support of extraordinary laws, because their justification is not obvious [Machiavelli]
7126 Rulers should preserve the foundations of religion, to ensure good behaviour and unity [Machiavelli]
7486 Machiavelli emancipated politics from religion [Machiavelli, by Watson]
20723 Only when working people are poor do they remain obedient to God [Calvin, by Weber]
2361 If fear of unknown powers is legal it is religion, if it is illegal it is superstition [Hobbes]
19927 State and religious law can clash, so the state must make decisions about religion [Spinoza]
19973 The clergy are essential to a monarchy, but dangerous in a republic [Montesquieu]
19987 Religion has the most influence in despotic states, and reinforces veneration for the ruler [Montesquieu]
20004 French slavery was accepted because it was the best method of religious conversion [Montesquieu]
20011 Religion can support the state when the law fails to do so [Montesquieu]
19850 By separating theological and political systems, Jesus caused divisions in the state [Rousseau]
19852 Civil religion needs one supreme god, an afterlife, justice, and the sanctity of the social contract [Rousseau]
19853 All religions should be tolerated, if they tolerate each other, and support citizenship [Rousseau]
19851 Every society has a religion as its base [Rousseau]
21085 The church has a political role, by offering a supreme power over people [Kant]
19625 The ideal is to impose a religion by force, and then live in doubt about its beliefs [Cioran]
12316 For Enlightenment philosophers, God was no longer involved in politics [Badiou]
21020 Any establishment belief system is incompatible with full respect for all citizens [Nussbaum]
22266 The case for religious liberty depends on the religion contributing to a morally good life [Sandel]
21124 Religious toleration has been institutionalised by the separation of church and state [Shorten]
20620 If minority views are accepted in debate, then religious views must be accepted [Tuckness/Wolf]