Religion

==== Impact ====
{{Main|Religion in politics}}

Religion has had a significant impact on the political system in many countries.<ref>{{cite web |title=Religion and Politics {{!}} Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy |url=https://iep.utm.edu/rel-poli/ |access-date=11 January 2021 |archive-date=18 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210118103032/https://iep.utm.edu/rel-poli/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Notably, most Muslim-majority countries adopt various aspects of [[sharia]], the Islamic law.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sharia Law |url=https://www.mpvusa.org/sharia-law |website=Muslims for Progressive Values |access-date=11 January 2021 |archive-date=11 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111200521/https://www.mpvusa.org/sharia-law |url-status=live }}</ref> Some countries even define themselves in religious terms, such as [[Iran|The Islamic Republic of Iran]]. The sharia thus affects up to 23% of the global population, or 1.57&nbsp;billion people who are [[Muslim world|Muslims]]. However, religion also affects political decisions in many western countries. For instance, in the [[United States]], 51% of voters would be less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who did not believe in God, and only 6% more likely.<ref>[https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2016/02/economist-explains-18?cid1=cust/noenew/n/n/n/20160229n/owned/n/n/nwl/n/n/NA/email The Economist explains: The role of religion in America's presidential race] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809213140/https://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2016/02/economist-explains-18?cid1=cust%2Fnoenew%2Fn%2Fn%2Fn%2F20160229n%2Fowned%2Fn%2Fn%2Fnwl%2Fn%2Fn%2FNA%2Femail |date=9 August 2017 }}, ''The Economist'', 25 February 2016</ref> Christians make up 92% of members of the US Congress, compared with 71% of the general public (as of 2014). At the same time, while 23% of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated, only one member of Congress ([[Kyrsten Sinema]], D-Arizona), or 0.2% of that body, claims no religious affiliation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/27/10-facts-about-religion-in-america/|title=10 facts about religion in America|last=Lipka|first=Michael|date=27 August 2015|publisher=Pew Research Center|access-date=9 July 2016|archive-date=25 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125032511/http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/08/27/10-facts-about-religion-in-america/|url-status=live}}</ref> In most European countries, however, religion has a much smaller influence on politics<ref>[https://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2014/04/europe-religion-and-politics Europe, religion and politics:Old world wars] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809212902/https://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2014/04/europe-religion-and-politics |date=9 August 2017 }}, The Economist, 22 April 2014</ref> although it used to be much more important. For instance, [[same-sex marriage]] and [[abortion]] were illegal in many European countries until recently, following Christian (usually [[Catholicism|Catholic]]) doctrine. Several [[List of atheists in politics and law|European leaders are atheists]] (e.g., [[France]]'s former president [[François Hollande|Francois Hollande]] or Greece's prime minister [[Alexis Tsipras]]). In Asia, the role of religion differs widely between countries. For instance, [[India]] is still one of the most religious countries and religion still has a strong impact on politics, given that Hindu nationalists have been targeting minorities like the Muslims and the Christians, who historically{{when|date=August 2021}} belonged to the lower castes.<ref>Lobo, L. 2000 [https://americamagazine.org/issue/276/article/religion-and-politics-india Religion and Politics in India] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210120920/http://www.americamagazine.org/issue/276/article/religion-and-politics-india |date=10 December 2016 }}, ''America Magazine'', 19 February 2000</ref> By contrast, countries such as [[Religion in China|China]] or [[Religion in Japan|Japan]] are largely secular and thus religion has a much smaller impact on politics.