Introduction
**As Pope John Paul Il ay dying in April 2005 huge crowds from all over the world gathered in St Peter's Square, Rome. His state of health and debate about his legacy and the future of the papacy were front-page news for weeks. One hundred world leaders, including 70 presidents and prime ministers, attended his funeral, which was watched by more than 9 million people worldwide.
**The conflict in Kosovo resulted in the displacement of an estimated 750 000 people from their homes, the violent deaths of thousands, and allegations of he systematic rape of ethnic Albanian women. Religious ideology was used to fuel ethnic hatred and to justify territorial claims. In explaining why Serbians could never relinquish their claim on Kosovo, Vuk Draskovic, a Serb politician, commented: There is no Serbia without Kosovo. I cannot betray it. I cannot betray Jesus Christ' (cited in Ranki 1999)
**In May 1998 Senator Brian Harradine advised Federal Parliament that he could not support the goods and services tax (GST. His decision sent the government into threatened the viability of its economic reform program and opened up the possibility of a double-dissolution election. Harradine's decision was widely acknowledged to be influenced by his longstanding commitment to Catholicism and its principles of social justice
**Religious beliefs exist in all societies and are one of the most enduring sources of conflict and inequality. Paradoxically, they are also a source of social cohesion binding people in a symbolic universe which shapes how they view their place in the cosmos and their relationship with one another. While the strength of religion varies from one society to another, its influence i so pervasive and yet so subtle hat no one escapes it. In secular societies, such as Australia, where religion is a private matter, conflicts such as those between Catholics and Protestants or between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians continue to shape t development Many of the cherished beliefs of Australians, such the in human rights, can be traced back to the i of Christianity in countries with 'official influence is more obvious In fundamentalist Muslim countries, such as Iran, religious beliefs shape the political system, attitudes to the use of knowledge, forms of economic investment, and social and sexual relations between men and women