Taiwan has religious freedom, but religion still affects politics. Leaders visit temples, religious groups support elections, and the government gives money to religious events. This mix of faith and politics shapes society in many ways.

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Temples and Elections

• During elections, politicians visit famous temples like Dajia Jenn Lann Temple to gain support. In the 2020 election, major candidates all attended the Mazu pilgrimage.
• Religious groups help with election campaigns. Some temples use their followers to promote certain candidates.

📖 Max Weber’s “Charismatic Authority”
German sociologist Max Weber said that people trust leaders with special spiritual power. Religious leaders have this kind of influence, so politicians work with them to gain public trust.

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Government Support for Religion

• The government gives money to religious festivals. The Taipei Lantern Festival often partners with temples to attract tourists.
• Religious groups don’t pay taxes on their land and businesses. Some temples own hospitals, schools, and shopping malls but still get tax benefits.
• The government works with religious groups to run social programs. Tzu Chi helps with disaster relief, and Fo Guang Shan runs elderly care programs.

📖 Functionalism and Social Stability
Functionalist theory says that religion helps keep society stable. The government supports religious groups because they provide services. But if they have too much power, they can influence politics too much.

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Religion and Social Values

• Religious groups affect education. In 2018, they pushed the government to change gender equality lessons in schools.
• They also influence family laws. In 2021, religious leaders campaigned against surrogacy laws, slowing down legal reforms.

📖 Jürgen Habermas and Public Reason
Philosopher Jürgen Habermas said that laws should be based on logic, not religion. If religious beliefs control laws, it can hurt democracy.

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Keeping Politics and Religion Separate

✅ Religious groups should show their financial records to prevent corruption.
✅ Laws should protect policies from religious pressure.
✅ The government should stay neutral and treat all beliefs equally.

Taiwan must balance religious freedom and political fairness. Faith should guide personal life, not control politics.

宗教與政治在台灣：政府如何利用信仰？

台灣擁有宗教自由，但宗教仍影響政治。政治人物參拜廟宇、宗教團體影響選舉，政府也資助宗教活動，讓信仰與政治交織在一起。

• 廟宇與選舉：選舉期間，候選人參拜大甲鎮瀾宮等知名廟宇，以獲得民眾支持。
• 政府對宗教的支持：政府補助宗教活動，宗教機構享有免稅，並參與社會福利。
• 宗教影響社會價值：宗教團體影響教育政策與家庭法規，如 2018 年性別平權課綱調整與 2021 年代理孕母法案的延宕。
• 維持政教分離：應加強財務透明、保護政策獨立性，確保政府中立。

台灣需在宗教自由與政治公平之間取得平衡，讓信仰影響個人，而非操控政策。