Favour of religious beliefs
Momtaz Ahmed
October 18, 2008
What is the driving force of a country to declare their religion in the constitution? Does religion offer unique advantage to society as whole? In many ways religion has been twisted by the state as a tool to control people. Religious dogma is always used by faith groups to influence the composition of the government of a country. In USA religion is always incorporated in presidential election campaign and used as divisive tool. Though they have a tradition of separating church from state; however, a powerful inclination to mix politics and religion subsists.
Bangladesh adopted democracy based on the principles of liberty, sovereignty of the people, and the transfer of power through free and fair elections. Unfortunately democracy was jeopardized by one party system and ultimately paved the way for successive military ruler. In 1988 by the 8th amendment of constitution they inserted Islam as a state religion of Bangladesh. Now the country is striving to function with the shell of a democracy, holding competitive elections, between political parties that are corrupt and inept.
There is no power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by religion and morality. In 1956 Pakistan becomes an Islamic Republic. The Islamic rulers of Pakistan don´t care where the country goes. Indonesia has the constitution that the state shall be based upon the belief in the one and only God. Istanbul is the capital of Turkey where adhan is recited by almost 2,000 mosques five times a day although Islam is not an official religion of the state.
Bangladesh has Islam as a state religion. Now the political Islam is gaining more strength, more is the corruption and more the country is heading backward. Well funded Islamist political parties are implementing comprehensive master plan to advance Islamist ideology. They are trying to remove the history of country´s culture and liberation war, where as the government covertly listening them by recognizing their irrational demands.
There are many countries in which national identity and religion are state sponsored. Argentina´s law mandates government support for the Roman Catholic faith, the prevailing religion in Greece is that of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan are the hardcore Islamic countries. World knows Israel is a Jewish state. Perhaps the sate is based on Jewish ethnicity rather than Jewish religion. The army has been the one thing that has united Israelis.
In Bangladesh Islam has been around for a long time. Imported Bedouin culture and political Islam has been weathering the socio-political structure of the country. The mostly-silent majority of Bangladeshis are not secularists, but neither do they make a totalitarian conflation of religion and politics. The opiate of the masses has little to do with Islam as state religion. Right wing and fundamentalist politicians are using the ingredients in the packaged system of beliefs, which has fear of creator, death and heavenly reward after death.
Except Turkey, Indonesia and Senegal most of Islamic countries the government is more or less dictatorial bent, politically repressive and militaristic. The chaste the tenets of the religion, the less suitable it is for contemporary society. In Islam there is uncomfortable and wide spectrum of political deviancy between Shia, Sunni and Ahmadiya. Recently in UK modified ancient Islamic religious rulings to adapt to modern setting. Such as a Muslim husband will have to waive his right to polygamy and Muslim woman are to be guaranteed equal right in marriage.
Many Islamic intellectuals are widely use writings of Maududi [Pakistan], Hizb ut-Tahrir [Indonesia], Hassan al-Banna and Sayyid Qutib [Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood] which expressively denounce democracy. Many Muslim countries are not democratic because of fundamentalism, religious extremism, and political violence and failed to accept modernity miserably. Recently in Bangladesh religious bigots have threatened to demolish all statues and sculptures, otherwise they will take the matter in their own hands. Islam seems not any less compatible with democracy than Catholicism did 200 years ago.
In our society openness and respect for each others viewpoints are the only ways to ensure peace and harmony. Everyone should concern when one religious attitude impinges on the rights of others their voice is not regarded.
Bangladesh adopted democracy based on the principles of liberty, sovereignty of the people, and the transfer of power through free and fair elections. Unfortunately democracy was jeopardized by one party system and ultimately paved the way for successive military ruler. In 1988 by the 8th amendment of constitution they inserted Islam as a state religion of Bangladesh. Now the country is striving to function with the shell of a democracy, holding competitive elections, between political parties that are corrupt and inept.
There is no power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by religion and morality. In 1956 Pakistan becomes an Islamic Republic. The Islamic rulers of Pakistan don´t care where the country goes. Indonesia has the constitution that the state shall be based upon the belief in the one and only God. Istanbul is the capital of Turkey where adhan is recited by almost 2,000 mosques five times a day although Islam is not an official religion of the state.
Bangladesh has Islam as a state religion. Now the political Islam is gaining more strength, more is the corruption and more the country is heading backward. Well funded Islamist political parties are implementing comprehensive master plan to advance Islamist ideology. They are trying to remove the history of country´s culture and liberation war, where as the government covertly listening them by recognizing their irrational demands.
There are many countries in which national identity and religion are state sponsored. Argentina´s law mandates government support for the Roman Catholic faith, the prevailing religion in Greece is that of the Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan are the hardcore Islamic countries. World knows Israel is a Jewish state. Perhaps the sate is based on Jewish ethnicity rather than Jewish religion. The army has been the one thing that has united Israelis.
In Bangladesh Islam has been around for a long time. Imported Bedouin culture and political Islam has been weathering the socio-political structure of the country. The mostly-silent majority of Bangladeshis are not secularists, but neither do they make a totalitarian conflation of religion and politics. The opiate of the masses has little to do with Islam as state religion. Right wing and fundamentalist politicians are using the ingredients in the packaged system of beliefs, which has fear of creator, death and heavenly reward after death.
Except Turkey, Indonesia and Senegal most of Islamic countries the government is more or less dictatorial bent, politically repressive and militaristic. The chaste the tenets of the religion, the less suitable it is for contemporary society. In Islam there is uncomfortable and wide spectrum of political deviancy between Shia, Sunni and Ahmadiya. Recently in UK modified ancient Islamic religious rulings to adapt to modern setting. Such as a Muslim husband will have to waive his right to polygamy and Muslim woman are to be guaranteed equal right in marriage.
Many Islamic intellectuals are widely use writings of Maududi [Pakistan], Hizb ut-Tahrir [Indonesia], Hassan al-Banna and Sayyid Qutib [Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood] which expressively denounce democracy. Many Muslim countries are not democratic because of fundamentalism, religious extremism, and political violence and failed to accept modernity miserably. Recently in Bangladesh religious bigots have threatened to demolish all statues and sculptures, otherwise they will take the matter in their own hands. Islam seems not any less compatible with democracy than Catholicism did 200 years ago.
In our society openness and respect for each others viewpoints are the only ways to ensure peace and harmony. Everyone should concern when one religious attitude impinges on the rights of others their voice is not regarded.
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