Religion
In reply to the discussion: Should a really good public policy that has a basis in religious belief be made into law? [View all]dmallind
(10,437 posts)1) I don't think religious belief should be a valid argument for or against any legislation, however positive the belief, and with no exception whatsoever. I'm hoping that's not the way you wanted to ask the question. If so let me know and I'll change the answer.
2) That does not mean a religious belief which is a good policy should not be enacted - it just should be enacted solely on the basis of its policy merits regardless of its origin. Saying we should exclude it from entirely secular consideration and voting simply because of its religious genesis is both cutting off our nose to spite our face in prctical terms, but also illogical in rational terms - like refusing to take advantage of industrial developments spawned by tyrants' war efforts because of the (real) ad hominem fallacy.
3) I cannot think of a single example either actual or hypothetical where this would be the case. But, for example, pretending that a religion developed around the idea of a sliding scale of reducing welfare benefits while incentivizing and training for work in such a way that work always benefitted and thus motivated the recipient rather than cut them off from aqid as soon as McDonalds gave them 8 hrs/week, then it would be worth enacting albeit again purely because of its secular utillity.