Posted by EngineeringProfit > 1 month ago | Report Abuse

Whether peace, prosperity, war, or suffering dominates the world often hinges on the choices made by individuals, governments, and societies. The metaphorical "heaven" and "hell" can indeed be seen in the physical realities of different nations.

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Creating Suffering and War ("Hell on Earth"):
Corruption and Exploitation: Corrupt governance, when resources are misappropriated or squandered, often leads to economic collapse, unemployment, and social unrest. The burden of mismanagement and excess debt can ripple through generations.
Inequity and Oppression: Countries that concentrate power and wealth in the hands of a few, while oppressing the majority, breed resentment and social fragmentation, leading to violence, civil wars, and suffering.
Military Aggression and Imperialism: Money spent on militarization and warfare fuels global conflicts, often benefiting powerful elites while leaving destruction and poverty in its wake. The oppressed are left vulnerable and marginalized.

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Building Peace and Prosperity ("Heaven on Earth"):
Good Governance and Financial Prudence: Effective budgeting and resource allocation are fundamental to fostering national prosperity. When a country avoids excessive debt and mismanagement, it can invest in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and sustainable development, uplifting the well-being of its citizens.
Justice and Equity: Ensuring that wealth is distributed equitably, opportunities are accessible, and systems of justice are fair helps create societies where people feel secure and hopeful.
Environmental Stewardship: Nations prioritizing renewable energy, conservation, and long-term ecological balance tend to create environments that are sustainable and nurturing, where future generations can thrive.

Posted by EngineeringProfit > 1 month ago | Report Abuse

Misallocation of Resources In an era of rising costs of living, where housing, healthcare, education, and basic necessities become increasingly difficult to afford, spending public funds on religiosity (religious institutions, events, and symbols) can be seen as a misallocation of scarce resources.

Posted by EngineeringProfit > 1 month ago | Report Abuse

Public funds are finite, and their primary function is to serve the welfare of all citizens, regardless of religious affiliation or belief. By diverting these funds to religious purposes, governments neglect pressing needs such as:

Affordable housing programs
Healthcare services
Job creation and workforce development
Education and public infrastructure

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Religiosity is Personal, Not Public: Religion, by its very nature, is a personal and private matter. The diversity of religious beliefs means that the public funding of any particular religious agenda could alienate or marginalize groups with differing beliefs. It risks causing division rather than unity. When public money is spent on religious institutions, events, or symbols, it often does so at the cost of inclusivity. In contrast, secular public services—like health, education, and social security—benefit everyone, regardless of their faith or lack thereof.

In essence, public funds should be used for collective purposes, not to further personal religious beliefs.

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Missed Opportunity for Societal Growth
The most pressing issues today—climate change, unemployment, access to clean water, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture—require significant public investment and innovation. When funds are diverted to religious institutions or ceremonies, it represents a missed opportunity to address the fundamental challenges that could improve the standard of living for everyone. Money spent on religiosity could instead:

Fund scientific research
Build green energy infrastructure
Improve education systems
Develop affordable healthcare
These are long-term investments that help build a prosperous, equitable society. Investing in these areas provides sustainable solutions that enable societies to flourish.

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Religiosity Inevitably Favors the Elite: Often, public funding for religious institutions tends to favor established religious elites. In many cases, these elites do not represent the needs or interests of the broader public. The resources funneled to religious institutions may:

Reinforce power imbalances, favoring those in religious authority
Perpetuate social control mechanisms that hinder critical thinking, scientific inquiry, and open discourse
Divert attention away from the need to hold those in power accountable for addressing the real socioeconomic problems that affect the daily lives of citizens
In times of economic hardship, these power imbalances are magnified as religious leaders may act as gatekeepers for state resources, making it harder for ordinary citizens to access the public goods they desperately need.

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Bagai mencurah garam ke laut - Religiosity Doesn't Solve Economic Problems: While religious institutions may offer moral guidance or community support, they do not, and cannot, solve the material and systemic challenges posed by the high cost of living. Religion may provide spiritual comfort, but:

It doesn't build affordable homes
It doesn't create jobs
It doesn't provide healthcare or feed the hungry
It doesn’t mitigate the impacts of inflation, debt, or rising commodity prices
The challenges of this millennium—especially under the pressures of inflation, global economic instability, and climate change—require public funds to be directed toward real-world solutions that address the core material needs of citizens.

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Vernacular vs national schooling -Risk of Social Fragmentation: In societies with multiple religious beliefs, public spending on religious activities can deepen divisions and cause social fragmentation. Religious spending may appear as favoritism toward certain groups while excluding others. This can lead to a sense of alienation among minorities and marginalized groups, fostering resentment and even social unrest. Governments must be careful to:

Promote unity and commonality
Strengthen civic identity over religious identity
Ensure equality of opportunity, not favor specific religious communities
Public funds should be used to bring people together, through investment in common goods like education, public health, and infrastructure—areas where all benefit equally, regardless of their religious background.

Posted by EngineeringProfit > 1 month ago | Report Abuse

Many modern constitutions emphasize the separation of religion and state, precisely because mixing the two often results in unequal distribution of power and resources. In such systems, the state’s role is to provide for the material well-being of its citizens, while religion’s role is personal and spiritual. Spending public funds on religion blurs this separation and may undermine the principles of:

Democracy
Equality
Universal human rights

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Budget 2025: Focus on Tangible Welfare
In a world facing immense economic, environmental, and social challenges, public funds should be concentrated on tangible, real-world solutions that address the needs of all citizens. Spending money on religiosity—while it may cater to certain spiritual needs—does not alleviate the very real struggles of the high cost of living. Instead, it detracts from more pressing issues like poverty, inequality, and sustainability. Public spending must be guided by principles of justice, equality, and long-term social benefit, ensuring that every dollar spent improves the lives of the people it serves.