Indian secularism occurred as a nexus of community, caste, nationalism and communalism, liberalism and democracy. It doesn’t have a universal meaning. Secularism could not be thought as western concept of separation of state from religion, like in the case of church. But in a diverse religious and tradition as our nation, this never could have been possible. Here religion is a way of life, a code of conduct, a social identity and even linked to their individuality. The co-existence of different religious faiths and beliefs in society; freedom for each faith to grow, prosper and retain their values; and at the same time cultivate equal respect and tolerance for all religions is the real nature of secularism.
It is originated from the views of the western world. Secularism in Indian is an imported concept that was first introduced as an aspect of colonial rule and was subsequently eagerly embraced by the modernizing elites in their drive to exercise power over non-modern cultures and groups. It is a form applied in general to the separation of state politics or administration from religious matters, and ‘secular education’ is a system of training from which religious teaching is definitely excluded. Secularism which been as a protest movement in the West, was a by-product of the chartist movement. It reveals the influence of positivism and utilitarianism. Secularism’s career in India represents mission and its war against the ancient faiths that the post colonial nation-state has internalized.
INTRODUCTION:
According to the constitution of India, India was a secular state. But, India’s secularism has been questioned by the world now. Through the violation of the principle of the “wall of separation” between the state and religion...
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...mmunal forces winning at several occasions, the larger battle is still in the favor of secularism. That India has managed to not have a state religion and not let separatist groups split it apart, is a sign of success for secularism. Though lot has to be done to extinguish the sparks of communalism that threaten to burn of nation, the resilience of our people and the unity of our country in the face of communal divide, assure us all is not lost and the ideal that are Preamble speaks of is still alive.
The only way secularism can stage a political comeback is by ensuring the dominance of the middle class in the Indian politics. This may not work in short period, but will sure work out in the long run. But we cannot predict the future about the implications it can take course. So, let’s hope India would justify itself as a complete “secular state” by the Constitution.
America is full and rich with diverse people, religions and values; they make America great. Just look at Riverside, California, there are over fifty churches of different denominations of Christianity, three synagogues, two temples, and one mosque; all coinciding peacefully in the city (Yellow Pages). Because Riverside is so diverse, religious pluralism and religious tolerance are two steps in making Riverside more connected. The first step is tolerance, a reflex that acknowledges a person will come across people of a different faith. The second step is pluralism, which is a better understanding of a person’s religion as well as the other religions around them. Many believe pluralism is the better of the two, because of the interaction involved and the creation of harmony, but pluralism’s faults are greater than the benefits. Currently religious pluralism is quality America should strive for, but America is not ready for pluralism yet, so religious tolerance is best for the diverse population of America today.
than it has been in the past, it is the argument of whether or not
The secularization paradigm Bruce argues ‘is a set of associated explanations rather than a single theory’ (Pg.43). To build on this argument Bruce provides us with a diagram of the secularization paradigm with 22 key contributing factors; some showing the religiosity of societies i.e. the protestant reformation and monotheism, some exploring other factors which have contributed towards secularization such as Industrial Capitalism, Technological Consciousness and Social Differentiation and he provides an explanation of these concepts in order to provide the reader with an analysis of these themes. This can however be problematic in the sense that the terminology of the paradigm may well be understood by individuals studying or in the field of sociology but for individuals who are looking to develop their knowledge on the debate of secularization and religion can make this difficult. Bruce argues that modernization is one of the main causes of secularization. ‘‘Modernization brought with it increased cultural diversity in three different ways. First populations moved and brought their language, religion and social mores with them in a new setting. Secondly, the expansion of the increasingly expansive nation state meant that new groups were brought into the state. But thirdly…modernization created cultural pluralism through the proliferation of classes and class fragmentation with increasingly diverse
Throughout history (of the West), there has always been a tendency to separate the state from religion, it started in the medieval era and is still being favored today in most nations of the world. The scientific revolution of the 16th and 17th century has given a term to the scientific and religious separation called secularization. .
...to completely eradicate caste and religion related customs which have been poisoning the minds of fanatics that separates and segregates people. A secular government also gets nearly complete support of the people enabling the growth of the overall economy.
It started in a small town community and just spread worldwide. Along the way, it picked up intellectuals who would interpret the Word of God and influence others to follow, be it right or wrong. Each of the groups settling in various parts of the new United States and there grew a philosophy of the Word. This is evidence of the many different religions and religious wars. The religious people have their problems and the non-religious which as a whole are termed, secularist have their problems. These are those that are only concerned with the material ways of the world as it is now and how they can best capitalize on it. Nevertheless, secularism started with the churches, it does not end there. All matters of the world are acted upon and decided upon and are based on human consciousness and reasoning. In the past, the churches were responsible for basic family needs, but the laws provided very little funding, due to the separation of church and state. The government determined what organization would receive funding and has now taken over this assistance. That took away the need for people to go to the churches for help let alone to pray. Governmental decisions are made concerning society as a whole in which the citizens are given an issue on which to decide and vote on and that decision is based on a majority ruling. With the secular mindset, the decisions made are not according to
Hinduism is often viewed as a particularly tolerant religion. The lack of a single omniscient God, absence of a prophet, and the open worship of what may look like many Gods may tell a tale of open worship, individuality within religion, and a peaceful, tolerant way of life. Without further examining what Hinduism entails, this may seem like the perfect religion. When the impression of superiority is looked at with a little skepticism, the pretty picture is marred by the deep scratches of discrimination, sexism, and elitism.
Charles Taylor, in his “subtraction story,” says people now have secular minds because of “science and objective reason.” A secular way of life gives a person everything they need without having to deal with the morals of religion. In Taylor’s “A Secular Age” he disagrees by saying secular ways of life are no different than the religious beliefs; the secular people have just come up with different ways of thinking about how life should be lived and the views they should have. He says people with a secular view “are subject to their own array of serious problems and objections.”
India is the center of a very serious problem in the world today. It’s a very diverse place with people from many different religious backgrounds, who speak many different languages and come from many different regions. They are also separated economically. Two of the country’s religious sects, Muslims and Hindus, have been in conflict for hundreds of years. Their feelings of mistrust and hatred for each other are embedded in all those years and will not leave easily. What’s most disturbing is that there seems to be no plan for reconciliation available. There are numerous reasons for this conflict.
Religious Fundamentalism is not a modern phenomenon, although, it has received a rise in the late twentieth century. It occurs differently in different parts of the world but arises in societies that are deeply troubled or going through a crisis (Heywood, 2012, p. 282). The rise in Religious Fundamentalism can be linked to the secularization thesis, which implies that victory of reason over religion follows modernization. Also, the moral protest of faiths such as Islam and Christianity can be linked to the rise of Religious Fundamentalism, as they protest the influence of corruption and pretence that infiltrate their beliefs from the spread of secularization (Heywood, 2012, p. 283). Religious Fundamentalists have followed a traditional political thought process, yet, have embraced a militant style of activity which often can turn violent (Heywood, 2012, p. 291).
The secularisation theory claims that religion is or will be on the decline in society. So profound was its impact that modern sociology often aims to account for the continued presence of religion in society and has generally held a rather negative view of religion as being an unworthy subject of study (Davies 2007:2). The reason for the secularisation can be seen in the fact that sociology is a theory both guided by and aims to build theories (Wuthnow/Dillon 2003:21). Theories require analysis and generalisation. It is impossible to analyse a subject without first defining the subject (Robertson 1970:34).
Secularised ethics can be defined as “The basic principles of right action, especially with reference to a particular person, profession etc.” Christian ethics however cannot be as simply defined. Ethical values of Christians cannot be reduced to a set of rules that can be easily followed and obeyed. A definition that gives an idea of Christian Ethics can be given in this form,
Secularization is a controversial form of social change in modern day society. Secularization is a concept derived from a Latin word meaning “the present age,” the term is generally associated with modern, technologically, and advanced societies. “Secularism is a political tradition that has been evolving for eighteenth centuries. It shares important relationships with other traditions, sustaining complex ties with Judeo-Christianity, and maintaining a long-standing relationship with Islam” ( Hurd, 2004). The term secular has taken on many different meaning through history. The earliest references can be traced to the 13th century, when the notion of the saeculum arose in reference to a binary opposition within Christianity. Priests who withdrew from the world (saeculum) formed the religious clergy, while those living in the world formed the secular clergy (Casanova, 1994). The notion of the ‘secular’ has taken on a range of different meanings over the past eighteen centuries. In today society, the world secular is used to describe a world thought to be in motion, the moving away from religious influence in everyday life.
Before I begin my findings I would like to define the nature of secularism which is a word you will hear throughout my research. Secularism: rejection of religious and sacred forms and practices in favour of rational assessment and decision-making, and civil institutions of government
The Importance of Religion in Indian Politics India is the largest democratic country in the world, in the last fifty years it has travelled and been influenced by multiple social and economic changes in the future. Its independence from Britain in 1947. partition creating Pakistan and the Pakistan/ Indian debate over Kashmir has been a fundamental political movement within the past few years. As Y.B.Damle states, “Politics is concerned with goal-attainment and politics is the art of possibility”, the political process cannot. function without the structural features.