Harvard Professor Explains Why Religion Is Essential for Democracy to Work in Powerful Video
This is a powerful video!
Clay Christensen knows his stuff. He’s the Kim B. Clark Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School; his Harvard page says he “is regarded as one of the world’s top experts on innovation and growth”; and he wrote one of the most important business books of the 21st century so far, The Innovator’s Dilemma.
He’s also, as a practicing Mormon, a devout religious believer in God. And knows how important religion and belief in God is for a functioning democracy.
“Sometime ago I had a conversation with a Marxist economist from China,” he began in a video for First Liberty, an organization dedicated to defending religious liberty. “He was coming to the ned of a Fulbright fellowship in Boston. But I asked him if he had learned anything that was surprising or unexpected. And without any hesitation he said, ‘Yeah, I had no idea how critical religion is to the functioning of Democracy.
“‘The reason why Democracy works,’ he said, ‘is not because the government was designed to oversee what everybody does. But rather Democracy works because most people most of the time voluntarily choose to obey the law. And in your past, most Americans attended a church or synagogue every week. And they were taught there by people they respected.’
“My friend went on to say that Americans followed these rules because they had come to believe that they weren’t just accountable to society, they’re accountable to God. My Chinese friend heightened a vague but nagging concern of Harvard inside that as religion loses it’s influence over the lives of Americans, what will happen to our Democracy.
“Where are the institutions that will teach the next generation of Americans that they too need to voluntarily choose to obey the laws? Because if you take away religion, you can’t hire enough police.”
At only 1 minute and 38 seconds, we highly recommend you watch the whole thing!
Here’s the video:
What do you think? Let us know in the comments!
[See also: The Inside Story of the Woman Who Fought Satan At Harvard]
[See also: Harvard Prof Indicates Mystical Encounter with Mary Led to His Conversion]