The debate is strong now days on whether Pakistan should be secular when it comes to running state affairs or make its laws based purely on Islam.
My point of view is
When you make religion as the basis running political and civil affairs of a nation, you tend to bind people with limited thought process.
In Christianity we have two main sects. Catholics who are the hardliners and Protestants who have softer stance of living ones life. There might be more school of thoughts and practice but I am not aware of this.
In Judaism there are many sects also mainly Orthodox, Conservative, Recontructionalist, Neolog and at least a few others. There are hardliners and then there are practicing Jews that take the soft approach towards protecting their faith.
Similarly in Islam there Shias and Sunnis school of thoughts. There are hardliners in both sects. There other versions like Wahabism (saudia arabia) and many others. Within all school of thoughts there are people that take the hardcore approach to protect their faith and then there are people who do disinvite violence.
In Hinduism there are many Gods and people approaching religious views both from a gun or candle.
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Now take this scenario
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If you a piece of land perhaps a remote island and put Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus and make sure all sects in individual religions are covered, how do you expect to run a functioning government with a religous ideology of running affairs of the Island.
Do you put in Christainity? If yes then which Protestant or Catholic? What about Muslims, Hindus and Jews?
Do you put in Judism? If yes then which Orthodox or Progressive? What about Muslims, Hindus and Christians?
Do you put in Islam? If yes then which Shia, Sunni or Wahibist? What about Hindus, Christians and Jews?
Do you put in Hinduism? If yes then which one hardliners or soft approachers? What about Muslims, Christians, Jews and Christians?
You see when you try to run the day to day lives of human beings based on religion you are bound to create trouble.
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Secularism gives respect to religion
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When you force your ideology on to others you are going get revolt but however if you give freedom to people to learn and choose the path of their own, they are going to respect their own religion and others too.
Turkey was secularized which gave respect to Islam and other religions. People were free to actually study religion. What happened? The good aspects of running civilian aspects of Islamic culture were slowly adopted by the turkish people. It only happened when you did NOT force them to adopt but gave them to freedom to go choose.
Lets talk about India. There are more Muslims living there. There are more hindus in India that know about Islam then there are Pakistanis living in Pakistan simply because of freedom of free research. There are hardly any Pakistanis that know about Hinduism and its culture.
If you secularize Pakistan, it is actually going to make it more Islamic and in a true way. People will not be forced to believe in a particular ideology and this way people will learn to respect not only other's religious beliefs but respect and learn their own religion too.
You cannot fight an ideology with force. If you could taliban would have been long gone.
The reason you can spread Islam in the west and many people are converting is not because you are great preachers but you have the freedom to do so and people there are free to research and then choose for themselves.
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The solution of Pakistan if you want to make it a true progressive Islamic state is to make it secular. When the force is gone then people would start respecting Shias, Sunnis, Wahabists, Christians, Hindus and eventually with time take peaceful Islamic social values and practically implement it in their day to day lives.
When you use deliberate force to spread Ideologies you create drama, you create chaos, you create death and destruction.
Thank you.
My point of view is
When you make religion as the basis running political and civil affairs of a nation, you tend to bind people with limited thought process.
In Christianity we have two main sects. Catholics who are the hardliners and Protestants who have softer stance of living ones life. There might be more school of thoughts and practice but I am not aware of this.
In Judaism there are many sects also mainly Orthodox, Conservative, Recontructionalist, Neolog and at least a few others. There are hardliners and then there are practicing Jews that take the soft approach towards protecting their faith.
Similarly in Islam there Shias and Sunnis school of thoughts. There are hardliners in both sects. There other versions like Wahabism (saudia arabia) and many others. Within all school of thoughts there are people that take the hardcore approach to protect their faith and then there are people who do disinvite violence.
In Hinduism there are many Gods and people approaching religious views both from a gun or candle.
-------------------------
Now take this scenario
-------------------------
If you a piece of land perhaps a remote island and put Jews, Muslims, Christians, Hindus and make sure all sects in individual religions are covered, how do you expect to run a functioning government with a religous ideology of running affairs of the Island.
Do you put in Christainity? If yes then which Protestant or Catholic? What about Muslims, Hindus and Jews?
Do you put in Judism? If yes then which Orthodox or Progressive? What about Muslims, Hindus and Christians?
Do you put in Islam? If yes then which Shia, Sunni or Wahibist? What about Hindus, Christians and Jews?
Do you put in Hinduism? If yes then which one hardliners or soft approachers? What about Muslims, Christians, Jews and Christians?
You see when you try to run the day to day lives of human beings based on religion you are bound to create trouble.
---------------------------------------
Secularism gives respect to religion
---------------------------------------
When you force your ideology on to others you are going get revolt but however if you give freedom to people to learn and choose the path of their own, they are going to respect their own religion and others too.
Turkey was secularized which gave respect to Islam and other religions. People were free to actually study religion. What happened? The good aspects of running civilian aspects of Islamic culture were slowly adopted by the turkish people. It only happened when you did NOT force them to adopt but gave them to freedom to go choose.
Lets talk about India. There are more Muslims living there. There are more hindus in India that know about Islam then there are Pakistanis living in Pakistan simply because of freedom of free research. There are hardly any Pakistanis that know about Hinduism and its culture.
If you secularize Pakistan, it is actually going to make it more Islamic and in a true way. People will not be forced to believe in a particular ideology and this way people will learn to respect not only other's religious beliefs but respect and learn their own religion too.
You cannot fight an ideology with force. If you could taliban would have been long gone.
The reason you can spread Islam in the west and many people are converting is not because you are great preachers but you have the freedom to do so and people there are free to research and then choose for themselves.
-----------
The solution of Pakistan if you want to make it a true progressive Islamic state is to make it secular. When the force is gone then people would start respecting Shias, Sunnis, Wahabists, Christians, Hindus and eventually with time take peaceful Islamic social values and practically implement it in their day to day lives.
When you use deliberate force to spread Ideologies you create drama, you create chaos, you create death and destruction.
Thank you.
