World without religion?
Now, that would be interesting to blog about. What would the world be like without religion?
Usually, as far as I know, in a Malaysian context, this question is asked when there is religious conflicts. Or at least someone's religious conscience was hurt so badly that it affected a friendship. Well, at least it shows one thing: People are fundamentally religious and they really care about their freedom to express that religiousity. Usually the problem comes when the expression of that religiousity impinges on another's freedom as well.
Well to answer that question I guess we need to understand what we mean by religion. It's tough you know, even in the four major religions in Malaysia, Bhuddists call theirs much less a religion but more a philosophy or a teaching. Islam has been discribed (by the Agong no less) as 'a way of life'. Christians call it a relationship rather than a 'religion'. That leaves the hindus? But hinduism is not a systematic body of doctrine, anybody can tell you that even within 'hinduism' there are so many conflicting theories of God. One would be inclined to say that hinduism is more a collection of philosophies than a religion.
Nonetheless we see religion everywhere in Malaysia, in mosques, temples and churches. Icons and idols are everywhere. Malaysia is a fundamentally religious nation, no matter how much the sophisticated vultures tell us that Malaysia is/ought to be secular. Be it for superstition of tradition, social stability rests upon the ability of the government to balance out the competing voices for religious expression. I find it difficult to believe that young Malaysians are getting more and more modern and to the effect less religious. They may be becoming more modern, but they are as religious as thier father's were.
Note that the question is not asking what would happen when become religionless from this day forth. It is asking what would history be like if there was no such thing as religion. And it is surprisingly difficult to get consistent answers from anyone(not surprising, you can never get consistent answers for any question). So if you ask a Christian, he would end up saying something like, we would become barbarians. If you ask a Bhuddist, he would say there would be less conflict in the world. Oh dear! Totally opposite answers. If you ask a communist, I guess he would say the same thing as the bhuddist and add in a more pessimistic and cynical way that it doesn't really matter since religion is an illusion anyway, it doesn't affect history as an expression of the class struggle.
Given our history of religious heritage, it would be difficult to maintain that from now on, dropping religion is the way to go. It's bad for tourism after all which contributes to Malaysia's economy significantly. So actually in what is it important to ask that question?
I would think that in asking that question, it forces people to think on the term religion and how religion and society cannot be separated. We know it, but sometimes loath to admit it. Essentially Malaysian's think that religion is a private matter. Which to some effect is true, but definately not totally. Either way, be it for better or worse, asking that question reveals to the answerer and the questioner the deep relationship between religion and society. And because it concerns society, it must concern itself with the governance of that society, hence politics. Bad!! Religion and politics are a taboo mix in Malaysia!!
Usually, as far as I know, in a Malaysian context, this question is asked when there is religious conflicts. Or at least someone's religious conscience was hurt so badly that it affected a friendship. Well, at least it shows one thing: People are fundamentally religious and they really care about their freedom to express that religiousity. Usually the problem comes when the expression of that religiousity impinges on another's freedom as well.
Well to answer that question I guess we need to understand what we mean by religion. It's tough you know, even in the four major religions in Malaysia, Bhuddists call theirs much less a religion but more a philosophy or a teaching. Islam has been discribed (by the Agong no less) as 'a way of life'. Christians call it a relationship rather than a 'religion'. That leaves the hindus? But hinduism is not a systematic body of doctrine, anybody can tell you that even within 'hinduism' there are so many conflicting theories of God. One would be inclined to say that hinduism is more a collection of philosophies than a religion.
Nonetheless we see religion everywhere in Malaysia, in mosques, temples and churches. Icons and idols are everywhere. Malaysia is a fundamentally religious nation, no matter how much the sophisticated vultures tell us that Malaysia is/ought to be secular. Be it for superstition of tradition, social stability rests upon the ability of the government to balance out the competing voices for religious expression. I find it difficult to believe that young Malaysians are getting more and more modern and to the effect less religious. They may be becoming more modern, but they are as religious as thier father's were.
Note that the question is not asking what would happen when become religionless from this day forth. It is asking what would history be like if there was no such thing as religion. And it is surprisingly difficult to get consistent answers from anyone(not surprising, you can never get consistent answers for any question). So if you ask a Christian, he would end up saying something like, we would become barbarians. If you ask a Bhuddist, he would say there would be less conflict in the world. Oh dear! Totally opposite answers. If you ask a communist, I guess he would say the same thing as the bhuddist and add in a more pessimistic and cynical way that it doesn't really matter since religion is an illusion anyway, it doesn't affect history as an expression of the class struggle.
Given our history of religious heritage, it would be difficult to maintain that from now on, dropping religion is the way to go. It's bad for tourism after all which contributes to Malaysia's economy significantly. So actually in what is it important to ask that question?
I would think that in asking that question, it forces people to think on the term religion and how religion and society cannot be separated. We know it, but sometimes loath to admit it. Essentially Malaysian's think that religion is a private matter. Which to some effect is true, but definately not totally. Either way, be it for better or worse, asking that question reveals to the answerer and the questioner the deep relationship between religion and society. And because it concerns society, it must concern itself with the governance of that society, hence politics. Bad!! Religion and politics are a taboo mix in Malaysia!!
This entry was posted
on Thursday, March 03, 2005 at 10:57 AM.
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12:54 PMHmmmm... that would be too long to post as a comment in my article regarding the world if it was without any religion. You have provided some objectivity in your posting.
6:57 PM
IMO religion is the crutch of dogma. People are the masters of their own destiny. We have a choice. Religion takes away most of those choices.
9:44 PM
honest mistake...really!
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