I am going to write down a few paragraphs from a book that I recently started reading. Its about the threat that organized religion poses to society as a whole. And by a 'threat' I am not implying that any other thing poses a greater or lesser threat to human society, but am merely pointing towards the part religion plays. Here it goes:
While moderation in religion may seem a reasonable position to stake out, in light of all that we have (and have not) learned about the universem it offers no bulkwark against religious extremism and religious violence. From the perspective of those seeking to live by the letter of the texts, the religious moderate is nothing more than a failed fundamentalist. He is, in all likelihood, going to wind up in hell with t he rest of the unbelievers. The problem that religious moderation poses for all of us is that it does not permit anything very critical to be said about religious literalism. We cannot say that fundamentalists are crazy, because they are merely practicing their freedom of belief; we cannot even say that they are mistaken in religious terms, because their knowledge of scripture is generally unrivaled. All we can say, as religious moderates, is that we don't like the personal and social costs that a full embrace of scripture imposes on us. This is not a new form of faith, or even a new species of scriptural exegesis; it is simply a catipulation to a variety of all-to-human interets that have nothing, in principle, to do with God.
Religious moderation is the product of secular knowledge and scriptural ignorance.
By their light, religious moderation appears to be nothing more than an unwillingness to fully submit to God's law. By failiing to live by the letter of the texts, while tolerating the irrationality of those who do, religious moderates betray faith and reson equally. Unless the core dogmas of faith are called into question--i.e, that we know there is a God, and that we know what he wants from us--religious moderation will do nothing to lead us out of the wilderness.
I would suggest you all to find inconsistencies in this excerpt and discuss this on the blog. What point do you disagree with and why.......I would prefer if you quoute exact words from the excerpt and attack them in your rebuttal.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Khuda K Liye
Hats off to Shoib Mansoor.
For the first sum1 managed to go agaist the religious lobby in the country. Thanks to Musharraf regime. If it had been Zia ul Haq, Shoib Mansoor wud have been hanged!
But the thing is that the way society is behaving at present, or rather way to dictators are moving the society, I think we are going to end up in a disaster. May it be the movie, may it be the Lal Masjid, the point is that we are increasing the gap b/w the two extreme elements of a religious society (fundementalism and liberalism).
As a result, a muslim individual is going through an identity crises. He wants to be religious, but does not! Because he thinks that this wud lead to Talibanization. If he wants to be on the other extreme, he fears of the FIRE of HELL. Then where should he go? Become a moderate muslim?
Im very much agaist the concept of a Moderate Muslim. I dont understand y have we made layers within a religion. Religion is a constitution which has lets say consists of 10 clauses. does this mean that if one abides by all the 10 clauses he is an "extremist", and if he follows 6 of them, he is a "moderate muslim". Then this wud mean that a moderate muslim wud
-offer three prayers instead of 5
- 25 fast instead of 30
- have a glass of wine once a week
- can do Zina once in a life time
- and whole lot of things !
On one hand we have the Liberalists, and on the other the so called fundementalists. But the things is the fundementals are also destroying the society. We can not deny the fact that the Talibans are muslims. We can not deny that Lal Masjid had arms and militants. Ho sakta hai k it is just the the dirty game of politics, but who is suffering? The religion
So we as muslims, have messed up with our religion, we have messed up our politics, we have messed up our social life, and we have even messed with the messes around us!
But u know what, everything is justified if it is done In the Name of God.....Khuda k Liye
For the first sum1 managed to go agaist the religious lobby in the country. Thanks to Musharraf regime. If it had been Zia ul Haq, Shoib Mansoor wud have been hanged!
But the thing is that the way society is behaving at present, or rather way to dictators are moving the society, I think we are going to end up in a disaster. May it be the movie, may it be the Lal Masjid, the point is that we are increasing the gap b/w the two extreme elements of a religious society (fundementalism and liberalism).
As a result, a muslim individual is going through an identity crises. He wants to be religious, but does not! Because he thinks that this wud lead to Talibanization. If he wants to be on the other extreme, he fears of the FIRE of HELL. Then where should he go? Become a moderate muslim?
Im very much agaist the concept of a Moderate Muslim. I dont understand y have we made layers within a religion. Religion is a constitution which has lets say consists of 10 clauses. does this mean that if one abides by all the 10 clauses he is an "extremist", and if he follows 6 of them, he is a "moderate muslim". Then this wud mean that a moderate muslim wud
-offer three prayers instead of 5
- 25 fast instead of 30
- have a glass of wine once a week
- can do Zina once in a life time
- and whole lot of things !
On one hand we have the Liberalists, and on the other the so called fundementalists. But the things is the fundementals are also destroying the society. We can not deny the fact that the Talibans are muslims. We can not deny that Lal Masjid had arms and militants. Ho sakta hai k it is just the the dirty game of politics, but who is suffering? The religion
So we as muslims, have messed up with our religion, we have messed up our politics, we have messed up our social life, and we have even messed with the messes around us!
But u know what, everything is justified if it is done In the Name of God.....Khuda k Liye
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Afghanistan rates better in freedom then Pakistan..
I was reading the Freedom House which is a nonpartisan NGO advocating and doing work for freedom and democracy in the world. The Freedom House publishes an annual Freedom in the world report which tells the level of freedom in the countries. The work rates country from 1 (free) to 10 (not free) and the rest in between as partly free.
Going through the list that I found out that (is also available on wiki) Afghanistan is rated better in democracy then Pakistan which is stated as undemocratic.
During my life I had the opportunity to interact and meet hundreds of Afghan refugees in my country and ask anyone they would undoubtedly decline the statement. There are many migrants who ran away here to find safe heaven from been coerced. At one moment I could remember an analogy from an Afghani who said to me that "As you people think of going to America the same way we in Afghanistan want to come here in Pakistan". Still today the Afghanis don't want to go home in this American regime because they know the situation is only better in media but the true picture is very different.
Hey.. Freedom House I don't know where have you come along with this statistics... It's sad to see such an organization of repute does things which are not only offensive but doing worse...
But i would like to point out something more.... the wikipedia describes it being predominantly US funded. Then the funding agency must have some say over it...
Furthermore couple of years ago I was at some place in front of an idiot-box where there was a scholar who was telling that the World Bank's most heavy funder is USA. The BoD of World Bank is from there funding partners. The USA has a share which allows it to veto anything and initiate and validate anything without consent from any funding partner... that project is being carried over in the name of World Bank but we can see how much US interest is involved in the project.
This may means that Freedom House may be working for US interest telling the audience (world) that after our invasion the things are better in Afghanistan then even their neighbours (many other countries)..
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_House
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_in_the_World
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy
http://freedomhouse.org/
Going through the list that I found out that (is also available on wiki) Afghanistan is rated better in democracy then Pakistan which is stated as undemocratic.
During my life I had the opportunity to interact and meet hundreds of Afghan refugees in my country and ask anyone they would undoubtedly decline the statement. There are many migrants who ran away here to find safe heaven from been coerced. At one moment I could remember an analogy from an Afghani who said to me that "As you people think of going to America the same way we in Afghanistan want to come here in Pakistan". Still today the Afghanis don't want to go home in this American regime because they know the situation is only better in media but the true picture is very different.
Hey.. Freedom House I don't know where have you come along with this statistics... It's sad to see such an organization of repute does things which are not only offensive but doing worse...
But i would like to point out something more.... the wikipedia describes it being predominantly US funded. Then the funding agency must have some say over it...
Furthermore couple of years ago I was at some place in front of an idiot-box where there was a scholar who was telling that the World Bank's most heavy funder is USA. The BoD of World Bank is from there funding partners. The USA has a share which allows it to veto anything and initiate and validate anything without consent from any funding partner... that project is being carried over in the name of World Bank but we can see how much US interest is involved in the project.
This may means that Freedom House may be working for US interest telling the audience (world) that after our invasion the things are better in Afghanistan then even their neighbours (many other countries)..
Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_House
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_in_the_World
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy
http://freedomhouse.org/
Saturday, April 28, 2007
wake up
Jaaagoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
what happened yaar, aaj kal koi blog nahi?
i hope u all arn't busy in exams :D
plz say sumthing, im really getting bored these days!
Szabist ne itni saari holidays de dii hain, kuch karne hi nahi.
what happened yaar, aaj kal koi blog nahi?
i hope u all arn't busy in exams :D
plz say sumthing, im really getting bored these days!
Szabist ne itni saari holidays de dii hain, kuch karne hi nahi.
wake up
Jaaagoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
what happened yaar, aaj kal koi blog nahi?
i hope u all arn't busy in exams :D
plz say sumthing, im really getting bored these days!
Szabist ne itni saari holidays de dii hain, kuch karne hi nahi.
what happened yaar, aaj kal koi blog nahi?
i hope u all arn't busy in exams :D
plz say sumthing, im really getting bored these days!
Szabist ne itni saari holidays de dii hain, kuch karne hi nahi.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
A Different Love Letter
A different Love letter and a beautiful reply to it.
A teenage college guy sent a love letter (in Q/A format) to his classmate.My Dearest Reshma,Please answer the following questionnaire. For Options(A) 10 marks,(b) 5marks and(c) 3 marks.**********
1) Whenever you enter the class room, your sight always falls on me because: (a) of love(b) you couldn't control seeing me(c) really ... Am I doing it?**********2) Whenever professor cracks joke, you laugh and turn and look at me because:(a) you always like to see me smiling (b) you are testing whether I like jokes(c) you are attracted by my smile**********3) When you were singing in the class, I entered and immediately you stopped singing because:(a) you are so coy to sing before me (b) my presence influenced you(c) you feared that whether I'll like your song**********4) When you were showing your childhood photo, when I asked for it, you hide it because:(a) you felt ashamed (b) you felt uneasy(c) you don't know**********5) During trekking, myself and my friend gave you hand for lifting you and you took only my friend's because:(a) you enjoyed my disappointment (b) you won't feel leaving my hand after grabbing(c) you don't know**********6) You were waiting yesterday for bus and didn't get into your bus...(a) you were waiting for me (b) you were dreaming about me and didn't notice the bus(c) that bus was crowded**********7) You introduced me to your parents when they came to college because:(a) I am going to be your groom (b) you just want to know what your parents think about me(c) just you felt like introducing me to them**********8) I told that I like girls wearing roses. Next day, you came with a rose on your head because: (a) to fulfill my wish(b) you like roses(c) by chance you got a rose**********9) On that day, it was my birthday. You too came to temple early at 6:00 A.M because:(a) you want to pray along with me (b) you want to meet me before any one could meet on my birthday(c) you want to wish me at temple because you are spiritual.**********
If you have scored more than 40, then you are loving me. Don't delay in expressing it. If you have scored between 30 and 40, love is budding in your heart and it's getting ready to bloom. If you have scored less than 30, you are in confusion whether to love me or not. Eagerly awaiting your reply.. Love, Aakash *********************
Reshma's reply letter was also in Q/A format ........Aakash ,Please answer the following Yes/No questionnaire.**********
1) If somebody sits in the first row, normally people entering the class, sees them.(a) Yes (b) No**********2) If a girl laughs and looks anyone, is it love?(a) Yes (b) No**********3) While singing, if somebody forgets lines of the songs, will he/she stop singing or not?(a) Yes (b) No**********4) I was showing to my friends (who are all girls) my childhood photo.You poked your nose inside..... Right ?(a) Yes (b) No**********5) I avoided to hold your hand during trekking. Couldn't you understand yet? (a) Yes (b) No**********6) Should I not wait for my best friend (Anjali ) at the bus stand?(a)Yes (b) No**********7) Shouldn't I introduce you to my parents as a friend?(a) Yes (b) No**********8) You have said you also like Lotus, cauliflower, banana's flower. Is it true ? (a) Yes (b) No**********9) Oh was that your birthday. That's why I could see you in temple. I come daily to Temple. Do you know ?(a) Yes (b) NoIf you have answered "Yes" to any of the question, then I am not loving you. If you have answered "No", then you don't know the meaning of Love. Hope everything is clear to you . **********
A teenage college guy sent a love letter (in Q/A format) to his classmate.My Dearest Reshma,Please answer the following questionnaire. For Options(A) 10 marks,(b) 5marks and(c) 3 marks.**********
1) Whenever you enter the class room, your sight always falls on me because: (a) of love(b) you couldn't control seeing me(c) really ... Am I doing it?**********2) Whenever professor cracks joke, you laugh and turn and look at me because:(a) you always like to see me smiling (b) you are testing whether I like jokes(c) you are attracted by my smile**********3) When you were singing in the class, I entered and immediately you stopped singing because:(a) you are so coy to sing before me (b) my presence influenced you(c) you feared that whether I'll like your song**********4) When you were showing your childhood photo, when I asked for it, you hide it because:(a) you felt ashamed (b) you felt uneasy(c) you don't know**********5) During trekking, myself and my friend gave you hand for lifting you and you took only my friend's because:(a) you enjoyed my disappointment (b) you won't feel leaving my hand after grabbing(c) you don't know**********6) You were waiting yesterday for bus and didn't get into your bus...(a) you were waiting for me (b) you were dreaming about me and didn't notice the bus(c) that bus was crowded**********7) You introduced me to your parents when they came to college because:(a) I am going to be your groom (b) you just want to know what your parents think about me(c) just you felt like introducing me to them**********8) I told that I like girls wearing roses. Next day, you came with a rose on your head because: (a) to fulfill my wish(b) you like roses(c) by chance you got a rose**********9) On that day, it was my birthday. You too came to temple early at 6:00 A.M because:(a) you want to pray along with me (b) you want to meet me before any one could meet on my birthday(c) you want to wish me at temple because you are spiritual.**********
If you have scored more than 40, then you are loving me. Don't delay in expressing it. If you have scored between 30 and 40, love is budding in your heart and it's getting ready to bloom. If you have scored less than 30, you are in confusion whether to love me or not. Eagerly awaiting your reply.. Love, Aakash *********************
Reshma's reply letter was also in Q/A format ........Aakash ,Please answer the following Yes/No questionnaire.**********
1) If somebody sits in the first row, normally people entering the class, sees them.(a) Yes (b) No**********2) If a girl laughs and looks anyone, is it love?(a) Yes (b) No**********3) While singing, if somebody forgets lines of the songs, will he/she stop singing or not?(a) Yes (b) No**********4) I was showing to my friends (who are all girls) my childhood photo.You poked your nose inside..... Right ?(a) Yes (b) No**********5) I avoided to hold your hand during trekking. Couldn't you understand yet? (a) Yes (b) No**********6) Should I not wait for my best friend (Anjali ) at the bus stand?(a)Yes (b) No**********7) Shouldn't I introduce you to my parents as a friend?(a) Yes (b) No**********8) You have said you also like Lotus, cauliflower, banana's flower. Is it true ? (a) Yes (b) No**********9) Oh was that your birthday. That's why I could see you in temple. I come daily to Temple. Do you know ?(a) Yes (b) NoIf you have answered "Yes" to any of the question, then I am not loving you. If you have answered "No", then you don't know the meaning of Love. Hope everything is clear to you . **********
Monday, April 9, 2007
Let's make poverty history
I could easily recall the Professor Mohammad Younus quotes on my newspaper which was that the only place our future generation could see Poverty is in the museum. Those days (I guess a year back) there was some news about him and Grameen Bank regularlay. Initially for me he seemed to me another rhetoric speaker the world needs. But later after reading about him, studying his work and viewing the Q&A session as the Nobel Peace Price retrospective, I had different feelings.
I could connect it with the history as a century ago as a century ago even no one could think that black would be given the same right as white, no human-trade and slavery. Today these things seem inhuman, hostile and awkward but just a century ago it was a norm, socially accepted regular activity. Thus with the readiness of the masses to change, change in human civilization and the leading role of the few individuals the world has changed.
I could comfortably say that since if the human want they could do it and it would be possible for us to see the poverty in Museums only.
The Professor Younus brainchild is followed the world-over even in Pakistan we have tons of MFI’s (Micro-Financial Institutions) but its said that there are not working the way they should. Rather they don’t care about people and are ripping the poor, but the change will take place.
I could connect it with the history as a century ago as a century ago even no one could think that black would be given the same right as white, no human-trade and slavery. Today these things seem inhuman, hostile and awkward but just a century ago it was a norm, socially accepted regular activity. Thus with the readiness of the masses to change, change in human civilization and the leading role of the few individuals the world has changed.
I could comfortably say that since if the human want they could do it and it would be possible for us to see the poverty in Museums only.
The Professor Younus brainchild is followed the world-over even in Pakistan we have tons of MFI’s (Micro-Financial Institutions) but its said that there are not working the way they should. Rather they don’t care about people and are ripping the poor, but the change will take place.
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