Religion is a private matter, responsibility is individual
When someone is doing something good on the basis of faith, one can recognize it.
When someone does something bad, the person is responsible and not some religion or belief.
These principles are important, in particular:
- when a politician pretends to pursue a policy based on faith or religion. This would take other politicians the right to propose a different policy and would be contrary to basic democratic principles such as freedom of expression, tolerance and protection of minorities. There is also a logical contradiction to the value system of a religion. Fanatic and religious politics always end in fundamentalism, in theocracy, and in dictatorship. The politician uses religion only as an excuse for reckless power and corruption.
- if a terrorist pretends to spread terror on the grounds of their religion, or if a citizen or politician claims that a terrorist spreads terror because of a religious affiliation. There is a logical contradiction, since otherwise all followers of this religion would be terrorists. Such a politician tries to position himself as a strongman, a counter-pole to terrorism with allegedly simple solutions, but in fact he has fundamental similarities with such a terrorist with the same (but wrong) interpretation of this religion.
Key words: Terrorism, democracy, populism, religion, islam