http://currents.ucsc.edu/04-05/05-02/religion.asp
Scholar Gary Lease states in this article, "When you start making foreign policy based on religion, and particularly when it’s fueled by religion based on absolute beliefs, you get some horrific results." He cites Pope Pius XII as an example; during World War II Pius XII and the Roman church was accused of not doing enough to help the Jewish people in Europe during Hitler's reign, the Vatican's foreign policy in Palestine by leaning on the side of Christian Arabs, and in Iraq- shown in the battle between good and evil (Saddam Hussein). In all of these circumstances, Lease argues that "religion tells you that you are primarily responsible for those who believe what you do...for those who don't, it's often tough luck for them- they're left on the margins." He also believes that in nearly all foreign policy decisions based off of religious principle, the results have been disastrous. I agree with an understand what Lease is saying, but sometimes- such as the examples with the Vatican- I think that it is too difficult to separate religion from foreign policy; I think this is the case with the Muslim Middle East as well.
Scholar Gary Lease states in this article, "When you start making foreign policy based on religion, and particularly when it’s fueled by religion based on absolute beliefs, you get some horrific results." He cites Pope Pius XII as an example; during World War II Pius XII and the Roman church was accused of not doing enough to help the Jewish people in Europe during Hitler's reign, the Vatican's foreign policy in Palestine by leaning on the side of Christian Arabs, and in Iraq- shown in the battle between good and evil (Saddam Hussein). In all of these circumstances, Lease argues that "religion tells you that you are primarily responsible for those who believe what you do...for those who don't, it's often tough luck for them- they're left on the margins." He also believes that in nearly all foreign policy decisions based off of religious principle, the results have been disastrous. I agree with an understand what Lease is saying, but sometimes- such as the examples with the Vatican- I think that it is too difficult to separate religion from foreign policy; I think this is the case with the Muslim Middle East as well.
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