Should religions be seperated from politics?

It just occurs to me that problems with certain countries are in fact attibuted to a political system combined with religious beliefs or being a religion per se. I do believe in democracy, but is religion really contradicting democracy? I would love to get some inspiring insights into this topic from so many well travelled and well read people in this forum.

In my opinion religion is an inner choice,a spiritual choice,and as a personal choice the government mustn't choose for us. So yes,religion mustn't be mixed with politics,just because it doesn't work..history can give a great proof of it!

Watch the news of the day Steven Mc,and you'll see the results...

I agree with what you said. I would like to elaborate on the topic a bit further from my own understanding.

In a democratic country, it is assumed that the majority will be able to choose the right type of system (be it religious or others) that works the best for the people and the society,  and they often do when majority have their vested interests in any decision made.  In countries without democracy,  religion is more or less used by the minority in power as a spiritual tool to mind control their subjets. As in North Korea where the leader himself is worshiped as God, or in other religious countries where the religion is mixed with politics.  Since it is believed that people tend to resort to a spiritual role model in trying to find answers to their mishaps and misery, it makes sense that it works.  I therefore strongly oppose religious politican systems or their equivalents.

I live in a secular country,if it is really secular,but,sometimes it contradicts with the rest of society.You know,in my country the two-third of women veil their heads but because of that they are not allowed to enter public areas and even schools. I am not against directly secularism,but i am against anything that constraints the freedom of people.

To Nyla,if it is civil wars, there is a catch in it.If you mean Arab countries that's a completely different case.Can you specify?