The opium of the people: Religion in african politics

Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful

Seneca

In most of societies, even secular ones, religion tends to be the source of our values. What we are, how we think, what we do, it’s all very influenced by religion. Even atheists commonly adopt the main moral principles of the religions practiced in their societies, since values, which are moral principles, are inherited regardless of the religious views of individuals.

This positive side of religion is, at the same time, a very negative one for mankind as a whole. Although is true religion has a moral and cohesive power within a community, the existence of different religions divides mankind and fosters intolerance between groups belonging to different religious cults.

 Identities and factions are always a dividing power that drives people to see each other as different, instead of watching themselves as members of the same macro-community: mankind. But religion is one of the most important factors shaping personality, and individual or collective identity.

Psychologically, the tendency of religious groups to fall into conflict has been explained by the differentiation made between “us” and “them”. Human beings protect, almost instinctly, those who belong to their group (whichever it is), and, by doing so, fall into hostility towards “them”, the other groups.

The result of this reality is conflict. All religions uphold dogmas; all religions claim to praise the true god, and to practice the real faith, excluding all other cults. This exclusivity of all religions derives into intolerance to other groups, and, at last, intolerance leads to bitter conflicts.

Observing this, some intellectuals have divided the world in religion-based civilizations, like Samuel Huntington did on its best seller “Clash of Civilizations”, where he named 8 major cultures, each with its own religion, pointing the tendency to conflict among them, and stating that new wars wouldn’t be ideological, but religious.

In Africa, there are terrorist groups fighting to impose sharia law, like Al-Shabab does in Somalia. There is political unrest in a country at the brink of a civil war like Nigeria due to division within its society between Christians and Muslims. We have states trying to deal with multi religious populations since this continent is host to more than a 100 domestic cults. 

 African States must find a way to deal with this diversity of religions, especially when they arise within their own society. Being secular is always an option, but most groups would like to see their beliefs reflected on domestic law and national authorities, so, the issue at hand is not piece of cake at all.

The right thing to do would be to set fundamental principles equal for all religions, assuring them certain amount of religious freedom, in order to respect minorities, and not to allow the brutal rule of the majority.

Nevertheless, some governors have failed to see this since, as Seneca observed thousands of years ago, those in power, ( and also those looking for power)use religion as a tool whether to manipulate people, or to dominate them. This may lead to extreme populism, and violation of minority rights, or may also result into an authority using certain religious principles as an excuse in order to dominate and oppress it’s citizens.

The African Union and it’s members should find ways to foster tolerance, embracing multi-cultural policies, separating religion from politics, and halt the use of religion as a tool by politicians, if we want religion to stop being a conflictive factor.  In the end, it would be a shame to allow the greed of the few to play with the beliefs of the many.