 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
From Chapter 6: Religion and Politics
Another example of the close connection between sex, politics, and religion concerns anxiety about death. Most religions provide a belief system that there is personal survival beyond death. That is, there is some afterlife that can be achieved by “righteous” living on Earth. Thus, religions exert social control by defining “Rules of Life.” These rules are intended to guide a life worthy of Heaven or Paradise. From these beliefs, group structures and norms arise to enforce social control, and religion therefore forms a pillar of political life.
Consider how various religions, starting with similar values, create diverging belief systems. These belief systems support secular rules, laws, and norms, which, in turn, drive vastly different behaviors. Attila the Hun was justified by his religious beliefs, as was Gandhi. What were the differing core values that justified the behavior of Caligula and Mother Teresa? To summarize, as each religion defines it’s “Rules of Life” so follow the values, beliefs, and behaviors of its secular society.
The point of all of this is to recognize that sex, politics and religion go to the core of what it means to be human. Attempting to suppress the natural, healthy, and spontaneous expression of these core issues in the workplace will not create positive peace and a creative culture. Instead, unhealthy suppression will likely result in a costly cultural, and possibly legal, liability. These core issues will find their way to damaging daily expressions in the exact degree that you attempt to suppress them.