By Prentiss Smith

Body (Normal text): There was a time when religion served as the guiding star for people, a moral compass that steered their lives and decisions. I know that to be true because as a minister’s son, I grew up in the church. Every time the church doors opened, my siblings and I were expected to be there, and we were. We are grateful for those experiences, because they helped shape us into the individuals, we have each become.

When I was growing up, the churches were full. People were seeking solace, guidance, and a sense of community under a shared belief in something greater than themselves. Today, it sems as though politics has taken over that role, becoming the new religion that shapes identities and dictates loyalties. Politics has become the new religion in America.

People have become rabid about their candidates and their politics. Families have been destroyed because politics have become more important than family unity. More people are willing to do just about anything to push their candidate or their agenda, and that is on both sides of the political spectrum.

I have seen the shift from religion to politics as the primary source of identity and values. We have all seen it, and it has changed how we engage and interact with each other. It is very apparent that what matters most for some people is their politics, and not their religion.

No longer is the question of faith or moral belief the foremost inquiry in social circles. Instead, it is all about political allegiance: Are you a Democrat or a Republican? The church, once a cornerstone of community and personal identity, has become an afterthought in a society increasingly fixated on political saviors and partisan victories.

This political fervor is evident in how laws and policies are crafted and interpreted. The Supreme Court, once seen as an impartial arbiter of justice, has become a battleground for ideological supremacy. Today’s court is a conservative court, and people understand that ideological leanings are inherent. Ideological is not partisan, but it can be, and it has become a part of the new religion that is politics. .

The extent to which partisanship influences decisions has reached unprecedented levels. For instance, the notion that a president might enjoy blanket immunity solely based on party affiliation is not just controversial; it’s an alarming departure from the principles of impartial justice and accountability.

The judicial system is supposed to interpret and uphold the law, not make new law from the bench. This court just threw out the bedrock notion that no man or woman is above the law, which is something that many of us believe is the foundation to a civil and a law-abiding society.

Many people believe that what this court has done is an assault on the rule of law, and a moves the country toward a country that is less democratic than more democratic. Power is slowly and systematically being taken away from the people and given to the politicians and bureaucrats.

The presence of politics in all aspects of our daily lives is undeniable. Politicians now wield influence over the most intimate aspects of our existence. From decisions in the bedroom to policies in the doctor’s office, political agendas shape the contours of our personal freedoms and choices.

The intrusion is pervasive, and it feels as though God has been kicked to the curb, replaced by a group of political figures who promise salvation through policy rather than prayer. What happened to their faith in the God so many of them say they believe in? It is like it only exists in their minds and not in their deeds, which are now couched in partisan politics.

Many Americans have seen the transformation of politics into a quasi-religious force, and they don’t like it. It polarizes society, as political allegiance becomes not just a matter of opinion but a core aspect of identity. People become associated with their tribe, their group, their race, or their nationality.

Politics has become the new religion, and that reality is eroding the separation between personal belief and public policy. This leads to laws that reflect partisan ideologies rather than collective moral values. The most concerning thing is that it replaces the concept of an ethical higher power with the flawed and often self-serving motivations of political leaders who are only thinking about the next election.

As we navigate this new landscape, it is crucial to recognize the dangers of allowing politics to fill the void left by the retreat of religion. While political engagement is vital for a functioning democracy, it should not become a surrogate for the spiritual and moral guidance that religion traditionally provided.

Citizens must find a balance between religion and politics, which ensures that our political affiliations do not consume our identities or erode the fundamental principles of justice and personal freedom.

Then and only then, can we as citizens hope to create a society where laws are just, leaders are accountable, and the guiding star is not some political ideology or blind allegiance to those who only seek to sew division and mistrust. Yes, politics has become the new religion. And that’s my take.

Prentiss Smith is an Opinion Writer for The Shreveport Times and other publications. He may be reached at: smithpren@aol.com

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