In USA, on the basis of religion, what is very powerful?
Christian fundamentalism
Whais retalisation?
Giving ne religious group the same bad treatment in a place where one’s own religious group is more powerful
What is the essence of secularism
All forms of domination related to religion should end is the essence/aim of secularism
When does religious domination become more easy?
When one religion is given official recognition by the State at the expense of other religions
Talk about the historical and present examples of religious dominane. What happens in these
- In Hitler’s germany, millions of jews were killed and persecuted becuase of their religion
- In Israel, the muslim and christian minorities are treated badly, while in Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims cannot build temples or gather in public places to pray
In these, one religious community persecutes and disctiminates members of other communities
What does the fundamental rights do?
In india, the Fundamental rights protect us against State power as well as against the tyranny of religious majority
The Constiution allows individuals the freedom tto live by their eligious beliefs and practices in the way they want to
It has adopted a strategy of separating the power of religion from the state power, known as secularism
Define Indian secularism
Seculaism refers to the separation religion from the State
How does Indian Secularism allow freedom of religion for all?
- The Indian Constitution allows individuals the freedom to live by their own religious beliefs and practices
- It has also adopted a strategy of seperating the power of religion from the power of state, knwon as secularism
What is the most important aspect of secularism
The separation of religious power from the tate power
What is secularism
- Separation of eligion from state
It rests on the fact that all forms of domination related to religion should end
Talk about the tyranny that would occur if one religious group is given state power.
- Almost every country will have more than one rleigious group living in it
- Within these groups, there will likely be a group in majority
- If this group is given state power, then it can use its power and finances to discriminate and persecute members of other religions
- This can lead to discrimination, coercion or even the killing minorities
- This is a vilation of the rights a democratic society gurantees to each and every citizen irrespective of the religion
What wll happen if the majority eligion gets supreme state power
They can prevent minorities from practicing their religion
They can persecute, coerce, discriminate or even kill minorities
Other than preentng the tyranny of mojority that violates fundamental rights, what is another thing iportant in a democratic society
- We need to protect the freedom of individuals to exit from their religion, embrace other religions, or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently
E.g.
* In the case of untouchability, if Hindus who want untouchability get State power, then they can silence the ones who dont
Even if one is in a dominant group, they can get backlash from fellow members of the community
What are the two reasons why secularism is needed in a democratic society
- To preventthe tyranny of the majority and the violation of fundamental rights
- coercion and killings, prevention of practicing, intra community fights
- Prtoection of the freedom to interpret, leaving religions or embracing other religions
What are the objectives of the Indian state with respect to religion?
to ensure that
* one religious community does not discriminate another
* that membrs of the same community do not dominate others
* that the state does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals
Talk about how government schools cannot celebrate religious festivals
- The celebration of religion within the school is a violation of the government’s policy of treating all religions equally
- They cannot promote any one religion in their morning prayers all through religious celebrations.
- This does not apply to private schoolsz
Give one way that the state follows to prevent the domination
- It uses a startegy of distancing itself from religion
- The Indian State is not ruled by a reigious group nor does it support any one religion
- Government spaces like law courts, police stations, government schools are not allowed to display or promote any one relgion
Talk about non interference with examples
- Indian secularism also uses a strategyof non interference
- This means, to respect the sentiments of all religions and not interferew ith religious practices, the State makes certain exceptions for particular religious communities
- For example, even though it is a must for all citizens to wear a helmet, skikhs are exempted from thi law, as a pugri (turban ) is essential to their culture and cannot wear a helmet
Wy is nn intereference policy used
To repect the sentiments of all religions and not interfeew with religious practices
Talk about intervention policy with an examples
- In an example of discrimination in the sme ereligion, in which upper castes discriminates lower castes , the Indian Constitution bans the untouchablity in Hindusisms
- Here , it intervenes in religion in order to end a social practice that discriminates and excludes lower castes, violating their rights
Sometimes, they might have to intervene in religion based personal laws within communities - This can also be in suport as religious communities set up their own schools and colleges, the government provides them with financial aid on a non preferntial basis
When can intervention be in support
inda allows all religious communtiie to set up their own institutions and soemtimes gives aid on non preferntial basis
What is non preferntial basis
it is when benefits o aid is given to all citizens/institutions who come under the category wothoutany prefrnce or discrimination
Talk about the features of american secuklarism and what they mean
- The First Amendment prohibits the legislature form making laws “representing an establishemtn of religion” or “prohibit the free exercise of religion”
The word establuishemtn refers to the fact that the legislture cannot declare any religion as the official religion and cannot give preference to one relgiion - The separation of state and religio n mean that neither the state nor religion can interfere in the afairs of one another
Givummary of the ways in hich the indian state achieves its objectives
non interference
intervention
distancing itself from religiobn
