A civic religion is defined by some as a formally structured, state-sponsored mentality and set of beliefs that are meant to be upheld unquestioningly by those subject to them. While not actually promoting a belief in the supernatural, the symbolism and ceremonial behaviours present in civic religions often reflect or are fashioned after those present in traditional religious practice, and their effects are similar.

Civic religions have historically been employed almost exclusively by totalitarian dictatorships, however they are not easily defined as their existence in such contexts has been closely entwined with the prevailing state ideology.

Civil religion

Civic religions differ from state religions insofar as the latter are established traditional religions officially endorsed by the government of a nation.

The term civic religion, as it is used in this article, refers to a state-sponsored mentality that takes precedence over all others. However, civil religions do share many things in common with civic religions such as (in many cases) extreme patriotism, nationalism, and chauvinism. To understand the totality of a civic religion, see below.

The term

When this article uses the term Civic religion it should be taken to mean a form of patriotism and nationalism that has assumed a religious character, therefore, in this sense it is a religion. There is some controversy over its use to describe these practices however (again, see Civil religion). At [1] (http://www.wiktionary.com|Wiktionary), civil is defined as "having to do with people and government office as opposed to the military or religion. Civic means "having to do with a city or the people who live there [or citizens]. Therefore, Civic religion refers to intense patriotism, nationalism, and/or chauvinism that when combined with atheism acts like a religion and takes precedence over all other allegiances (takes control of a person's life, so to speak).

Aspects of civic religions

Not all of these aspects are present in any one civic religion this is only a list of some common aspects of civic religions.

Atheistic

Civic religions require or tacitly enforce atheism upon their subjects, such as a state religion enforces itself. The leaders who develop civic religions do not allow their subjects loyalty to other sources such as a church. In China, this is enforced as atheism and in Nazi Germany this was used by slowly controlling the churches and obliterating their presence in daily life and then replacing them with its own. A civic religion takes the place formerly occupied by the old religion in a person's life often against their will.

Compared to Christianity, which is obviously not atheistic, civic religions are exclusive in the same manner. Christianity views itself as the only way. Civic religions likewise allow no other view than their own.

Require allegiance

Civic religions force allegiance from their subjects, demanding total acceptance of imposed ideals, which are formulated to be those of the official party or of the state. All activities usually tie into the civic religion in some way. For example, leisure or community activities often follow a universal format in conductance and are often very pedantic and military-like in nature. Civic religions exact a sinister idolatry from their adherents, whether they will or no.

Ideology

Ideologically, civic religions are very narrow-minded. Participation is almost exclusively mandatory and at the same time input is not encouraged or accepted from its members. Often, the civic religion is used as a tool to help spread the ideology of the state and its ideas. Even more often, the state may utilize the civic religion to gain acceptance of its methods and policies. Strict acceptance is often coerced though over time a society may become indoctrinated thus losing their resistance to the ideology of the civic religion which is often forced upon the member during their every waking hour.

Cult of personality

A cult of personality is an integral part of civic religion. It centers around a single leader who is given an almost god-like status in the nation. The civic religion not only benefits from, but also supports the cult of personality. This is closely related to propaganda because the cult of personality involves the mass distribution of images, statues, and various other homages to the leader. No negative image or view of the leader is allowed to exist, and the civic religion serves to help prop up that notion.

Propaganda

A key component of civic religions is propaganda (note that propaganda can be either good or bad--"Say No to Drugs" is arguably good propaganda). Civic religions must exercise the authority of an all-powerful state in order to gain compliance with their propaganda campaigns. Such propaganda can be as simple as a poster or movie reel or as complex as a systematic denunciation of an idea (such as Communism by Nazi Germany) through daily derision in many different ways. Propaganda can be extremely subtle, such, for example, as a poster which compares the "great leader" to Christ. Such propaganda can subtly create an atmosphere of mass persuasion, such as Brave New World. Without propaganda created by civic religions, dictatorships and totalitarian regimes have little chance of staying in power.

Fear

When constant propaganda, ideological indoctrination, and incesant rhetoric are not enough to do the trick, outright coercion and fear-mongering tactics usually prevail in civic religions. Enforcement includes the use of secret police, sterotypes, and plays upon widespread fears and concerns. Secret police often use brutal torture and the threat of imprisonment, hard labor, or execution to enforce mass participation in and acceptance of the civic religion. Stereotypes, such as Hitler's denunciations of Jews or Communists and the countries being controlled by them, can be used to make anything unamenable to the regime unimportant in the lives of the people, and the leader or state even greater by comparison. Also, a civic religion may play upon a widespread fear, such as the Bolshevik (Russian communist) tactic of drumming up fear of a return of the Czar by the Whites during the Russian Civil War.

Case studies

Coming soon, gathering facts. See: The forced renouncement of Shinto deity by the Emperor after World War II and the apology by the Zen orders for their associated role in wars.