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Religious Factors Have A Great Deal Of Influence On Politics Essay

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Religious factors have had a great deal of influence on politics in Latin American countries. In most countries religion has helped to set the value structure of their society by helping to frame what the citizens should expect out of their lives and what they should expect from the government. Today here are a variety of religions practiced in Latin America including Catholicism, Protestantism, Voodoo, Santería, Judaism, as well as indigenous religions. In order to combat religion’s influence on Latin American politics the anti-clericalism movement began in colonial times. Anti-clericalism is defined as the opposition to the clergy for its real or alleged influence in both political and social affairs (Britannica, 2009). It should be noted that although anti-clericalism is often associated with anti-Catholicism, anti-Christianity, anti-deism, irreligiosity, and atheism they are not the same. Butler (2009) noted that we could hold the Catholic responsible for encouraging the association between anti-clericalism and anti-Catholicism to their followers. Secularism is also often associated with anti-clericalism, which rejects all forms of religion in civil affairs. Fallaw (2009) notes that it is hard to tell where anti-clericalism and secularism began and end. According to Bantjes, 2009 anti-clericalism’s target was the privileged status of a clerical “caste” who are viewed as hypocritical and immoral. Historically religion and politics have been intertwined in government in
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