Religion has always occupied key positions in the state system of world powers. But if in Western countries for many decades religion has been rapidly losing its influence on all processes taking place in the structure of society, in the East it is impossible to imagine such a separation of the state from religious beliefs. Lebanon is especially original in this regard. Religion in this country is firmly connected with all political processes and directly affects the legislative branch. Many scholars call Libya a "patchwork quilt," which is woven from different faiths and religious movements.
What religion is in Lebanon?
If you do not go into details and consider the religious question from the point of view of dry facts, then, according to recent data, among the population in Lebanon, about sixty percent of Muslims, thirty-nine percent of Christians, and only slightly more than one percent of Lebanese profess other religions.
It seems that this picture is practically no different from the usual balance of power in the countries of the Middle East. But the Lebanese religion is in fact a much more complex and multi-layered structure, which is worth discussing in more detail.
Lebanon, religion: historical background of the formation of a multiconfessional state
Despite the fact that there are surprisingly many religious movements in the country, the population is ninety percent Arabs. The remaining ten percent is a motley carpet of Greeks, Persians, Armenians and other nationalities. These differences have never prevented the Lebanese people from coexisting peacefully, all the more so since they all have the same language. Many Lebanese are fluent in French and well educated. All this made it possible to create a special state in which the rights of representatives of all religious faiths are respected.
It is worth noting that tolerance for dissent has always been present in Lebanese blood. Initially, many residents of the country identified themselves as pagans. Throughout Lebanon, historians find numerous altars and temples dedicated to various cults. The most common were deities who came from Hellas. The many conquests of Libya by Muslims and European Christians could not change the cultural traditions of the country. Each time, a new religion was superimposed on past beliefs and successfully assimilated into the Lebanese culture. As a result, the country's population could adhere to absolutely any religion that was more in line with the preferences of a particular community.
By the mid-twentieth century, religion in Lebanon penetrated into all spheres of the life of the population and, one might say, formed a system of political structure that has no analogues anywhere in the world. Most politicians believe that the country's political model owes its longevity and productivity to a close relationship, which can be represented as a symbiosis of "Lebanese culture - the religion of Lebanon." It provides interaction between all faiths and the adoption of laws that take into account the interests of all religious communities.
Religious denominations of Lebanon
Muslims and Christians in the country do not constitute a single structure. Each religion is divided into numerous movements, represented by its religious leaders, leading communities.
For example, Muslims are represented mainly by Sunnis and Shiites. They constitute an influential majority, and among the Muslims one can distinguish Alawites and Druze. Lebanese Christians profess a special direction, they call themselves Maronites. This religious movement arose at the end of the fifteenth century, its followers lived in mountainous areas and carefully guarded their identity for many centuries. Even the influence of the Vatican could not break the Maronites, they preserved their traditions and rituals. In addition to the Maronites, Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants and Jacobites live in the country. Quite a lot of Christians are representatives of the Armenian church.
Confessional system of government
As we have already found out, there is no other country as diverse as Lebanon. Religion, or rather, its diversity, has forced numerous communities to seek ways for interaction and compromise. As a result, 1943 Lebanese religious leaders signed the National Pact, which defined the country's political system as confessionalism. According to this document, each denomination should have an influence on the adoption of laws, therefore the number of seats in parliament is strictly regulated for each religious movement.
Many political scientists believe that this system will sooner or later destroy Lebanon. Religion, according to experts, cannot significantly affect the foreign and domestic policy of the state. But while the fears and forecasts of political scientists are not justified, confessionalism has firmly entered the life of ordinary Lebanese.
How does religion affect the distribution of seats in the Lebanese parliament?
By decision of the leaders of religious communities, the posts of the main persons of the state should be held by members of the most numerous faiths (according to the latest census). Therefore, Maronite is now the president in Lebanon, and the posts of Prime Minister and Speaker of the Parliament have been given to Sunnis and Shiites. Christians and Muslims should have sixty-four seats in parliament. This ensures the equality of all currents; no one's interests are left without attention when considering new laws.
Lebanon: The Official Religion
After all that has been heard, you may have a question about the official religion of Lebanon. What is she really like? The answer to this question is the most striking and surprising characteristic of the country: in Lebanon there is no official religion. Although it is fixed at the legislative level that the state does not belong to the category of secular ones.
So it turns out that in a country where religious denominations occupy such an important place, no one has defined an official religion.