Excellent article in the Pakistani newspaper The Nation.
http://nation.com.pk/columns/21-May-2015/thuggery-of-religionThe term ‘extremists’ used to describe the radical religionists is quite often a misnomer, for it implies that they are a fringe minority and that the ideals they uphold are not adhered to by the lion’s share of the community.
How exactly has this ‘fringe minority’ of religious fanatics managed to hold a country of 200 million people hostage, with an arsenal comprising unsubstantiated accusations, without any political power? What is it about these ‘radical few’ that prevents the federal government from speaking up for prominent members of the ruling party?
It is the moral superiority and monopoly over truth attached to religion by radicals, apologists and moderates alike, that quite often lulls the conscience into complying with bullying and blatant thuggery.
Religion has never been conducive to pluralistic societies or states. However, there have been countless instances where it has propelled individuals into striving for personal and even common good. Religion’s personal utility notwithstanding, any efforts to incorporate it into policymaking or giving it moral authority, inevitably breeds violence.
While it’s vital to fundamentalism and hence inalienable for religious fanatics, it’s the moderates who need to compromise their belief in the moral superiority attached to the ‘right interpretation’ of a given religion. Claiming any interpretation to be the ultimate truth and hence the perfect guideline for mankind, inadvertently allows the flag-bearers of a radical interpretation, backed by arms and self-motivated murderers, to present theirs as such.
If more moderates spoke up against religion’s self-endowed moral superiority, and denounced the blasphemy law and madrassas in numbers, Salmaan Taseer wouldn’t have been killed and Pervez Rasheed’s life wouldn’t be in danger as things stand.
What we’ve been doing instead is indulging in self-defeating and pointless debates over the ‘true’ interpretation of Islam.
Topic: Thuggery of religion