Five significant events which occurred before 2000

Part 1 

Since Pilgrim’s Mayflower Compact the relationship between religion, government and society has evolved into a contentious issue which has been in existence for centuries and still exhibits no signs of abating indifferences. The center of dispute emanates from the quest to establish whether the United States government was first created as a religious society. A number of significant events have emerged which could attempt to establish significance. A worrying trend has emerged where the number of individuals who profess to be Christians has declined with those indicating to bear no religious affiliation increasing tremendously. Five significant events which occurred before 2000 which establish the relationship are: The American Revolution, Virginia`s Religious Disestablishment, the second awakening, Nat Turner`s Rebellion and the Religious freedom Act ( Stark & Bainbridge, 2013). Other current events which demonstrate a similar relationship are: The 911 attack, Catholic Church Abuse Scandal, Keith Ellison Elected to U.S. Congress, PCUSA Approves Gay/Lesbian Ordination and PCUSA Allows Same-Sex Marriage. 

The American Revolution intermingled with religion thus resulting to the alterations which fashioned the relationship between the European colonial government and the religious factions. As a result, religious freedom was extended within the United States. Virginia`s Religious Disestablishment refers to the religious freedom law passed by Virginia`s legislature. As a result the establishment of Anglican as the formal state religion ended. The Second Awakening occurred when the evangelical uprising emanated in Antebellum. As a result it managed to alter the system of governance ( Grim & Finke, 2006 ). Nat Turner`s Rebellion occurred as a religious calling seeking to liberate slaves from oppression. The masters at the time took charge and instituted stricter policies. The Religious Restoration Freedom Act of 1993 resulted in recognition and remedy by the government regarding some of the elements which had been touted as violations of religious freedom ( Grim & Finke, 2006 ). President Bill Clinton signed it into law. In reference to more recent events, the 911 attack is deemed to be one of the worst religious attacks on America. This is one element that further exacerbated the already troubled relationship between Muslims and Christians in the U.S. The Catholic Church Abuse Scandal, on the other hand, occurred at a time priests were being accused for molesting young children and covering up the acts. Keith Ellison Election to U.S. Congress made her the first Muslim to be elected in such a position ( Stark & Bainbridge, 2013 ). It set to destroy the widely perceived notion regarding the rivalry between Muslims and Christians in the U.S. PCUSA`s Approval of Gay/Lesbian Ordination was in tandem with government support for these individuals ( Stark & Bainbridge, 2013 ). Later afterwards, PCUSA Allows Same-Sex Marriage did not come as much of a surprise, and in this case an amendment was passed allowing a pastor to conduct marriage between members of the same sex. 

Part 2 

It is apparent that American laws are carefully tailored in a manner that safeguards religious freedoms. This is the reason why some proponents free their country and seek asylum in the U.S. The Election of former President Barack Obama into office saw to it that a Catholic president was chosen. It is further evident that most of the issues occurring within the United States take into consideration the religious connotation associated with the factor being taken into consideration. In this respect, one can understand why religion is inseparable from governance. Religion plays a significant role in American Politics. 

Most of the underlying issues in American Politics depend greatly on religion. For example, the legislative subjects cannot afford to sideline religion since the citizens are eager to offer their opinions by referring to religious doctrines. Similarly, one can observe the same by looking at the contraceptives debate which is one of the most controversial in recent times. Religious involvement guarantees that certain precepts are sustained (“World Public Welcome”, 2007). Also, the subject of gay marriages which has rocked the country has further been influenced by religion and despite Presbyterian Church appearing to support the union, other more popular sects such as the Catholic stand maintain their stand against such marriages. Most politicians, however, try to maintain a neutral stand when raising issues since they know that any wrong move is bound to wreak havoc. 

To sum it all up, it is apparent that religion plays a significant role in American Politics. . For a long duration, individuals have been fleeing from other countries owing to religious persecution and seeking refuge in the United States. Most Politicians are aware that they have to appease religious factions so that they can manage to attain their desired popularity. Contentious issues necessitate authentication from religious groups before being passed into law, since religion binds social ties within the country. It`s viability can, therefore, not be discounted. 

References 

Grim, B. J., & Finke, R. (2006). International religion indexes: Government regulation, government favoritism, and social regulation of religion.  Interdisciplinary journal of Research on Religion ,  2 . 

Stark, R., & Bainbridge, W. S. (2013).  Religion, deviance, and social control . Routledge. 

World Public Welcome Global Trade-But Not Immigration. (2007, Oct 4). Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2007/10/04/chapter-4-values-and-american-exceptionalism/