Religion and politics

1. RELIGION AND
POLITICS
September 16, 2010

2. MAP OF WORLD RELIGIONS

3. Religion
 Source of
Peace, nonviolence, humanitarianism
violence, wars and hatred…Divisive and
Inclusive
 Revival of Religious Fervor in last quarter
century (Fundamentalism)
 Fundamentalism has generally conservative
values they wish incorporated into political life
(issues on Gender Roles, Nationalism, GLBT
Rights, Abortion, etc).
 Righteousness of their own beliefs

4. Islam
 Common misconception that Muslim=Arab
 Largest Muslim Population in Indonesia
 Fastest Growing Religion in the World (and US)
 Product of 7th century Arabian Peninsula
 Produced Advanced civilization with major
contributions to human development &
progress.
 Muhammad (570-632 A.D)considered
messenger of Islam

5. Facts about Islam
 Quran is the holy book, which recognizes the
Jewish and Christian holy books and prophets.
 Previously Pagan community inhabited
Arabian Peninsula.
 Islam means peace through the submission to
God.
 Muslim means anyone or anything that
submits itself to the will of God.

6. Misconceptions about Islam
 Women Have No Rights
 Preaches Terrorism
 Hates Everyone but Muslims
 Polygamy is widespread
 Muslims worship Muhammad
 Cannot adapt to Western societies

7. 5 Pillars of Islam
 Shahada (Profession of Faith)
 First step of being Muslim,
can be said in private & still
counts

8. 5 Pillars of Islam
 Salat (Prayer)
5 times a day (sunrise, midday,
mid-afternoon, sunset and darkness).
 Muslims must perform act of ablution before
prayer (wudu).
 Obligatory on every Muslim who have
reached the age of puberty, with the
exception being those who are mentally
ill, too physically ill for it to be
possible, menstruating

9. 5 Pillars of Islam
 Zakat (tithing)
 Voluntary obligation for every Muslim to help
those in need. Generally done through direct
gifts to poor or through charity

10. 5 Pillars of Islam
 Sawm (fasting during Ramadan)
 Required for every Muslim who is not
sick, pregnant or a child
 During fast, Muslim does not
eat, drink, smoke, or have sex from sunrise to
sunset.
 Date varies each year since based on lunar
calendar.
 Fast generally broken with a Date(fruit)

11. 5 Pillars of Islam
 Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca)
 Required once in a lifetime if financially and
physically able.
 Also recommended to visit holy mosques in
Medina and Jerusalem

12. Islam and Politics
 No political theory in Islam and no distinction
between secular and religious.
 Muslims are considered Ummah based on
religion, not kinship, language, race or nationality
 A strict Muslim community has 4 main features
1. The sole head of the community is God
2. Gods’ teachings as revealed in the Quran are the
law
3. Constitution of community are eternal and
unchangeable
4. Purpose of the community of state is to uphold
the faith.

13. Islam and Politics
 Paradox of Muslim nations
 Women not voting in Saudi Arabia, and until
recently Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain.
 Women President and Prime Ministers in
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey and Indonesia.
 Many Islamic countries still struggle to balance
role between religion and politics

14. Different types of Islamic States
 Muslim- Has Muslim majority but secular govt.
(Turkey)
 Islamic States- Muslim majority. Govt uses
Islam for guidance in political affairs (Egypt).
 Islamist- State depends on Islamic law or
Sharia for governance (Saudi Arabia and Iran)

15. Hinduism
 Oldest religion. Dates back to
3000 BC
 Extremely diverse and complicated beliefs and
practices.
 600 million followers
 No founding figure
 3 largest religion in world by # of adherents.

16. Basic Beliefs
 Karma
 Samsara
 Four Permissible Goals in life
1. Karma
2. Artha
3. Dharma
4. Moksha

17. Misconceptions about Hinduism
 Worship Cows
 All are vegetarians
 They have thousands of gods
 All Indians are Hindu
 When Indians are talking about Aryans they
mean Nazis.
 Swastiks

18. Caste System
 Integral Part of Hinduism abolished since 1947
 Brahmin (Highest, Priesthood)
 Ksatriya (Aristocratic nobility, warriors, knights)
 Vaisya (Peasants, Merchants, and
Professionals)
 Shudra (non-aryans, slaves, servants)
 Untouchables (Dalit)

19. Hinduism and Indian Politics
 Post-Independence India clashed over Caste
system
 Gandhi combined Hindu principles and
nationalist ideals in the struggle for liberation
 Gandhi accepted principle of caste system but
did not like limitations on outcastes and
attempted to integrate Dalits (Harijans) into
India’s society.
 Gandhi’s peaceful resistance still lead to
massive bloodshed in partition of
India/Pakistan
 Current Hindu Nationalist party opposes rights

20. Buddhism
 Born in India
 Siddharta Gautama left the riches after seeing
poverty and sought enlightenment and
meaning of life.
 Achieved enlightenment after 49 days of
mediation and revealed the 4 noble truths

21. 4 Noble Truths
 Life is suffering
 Suffering is caused by ignorance
 Sorrow ends when a person is enlightened
 Enlightenment is achieved by discipline and
moral conduct

22. Noble Eightfold Path

23. Buddhism and Politics
 Strongly contributed to conceptualization of
nonviolent action for social justice
 Two nobel prizes went to Buddhist activists
(Dalai Lama and San Suu Kyi.
 Buddhist revival in China
 Activist Buddhism in Sri Lanka

24. Sri Lanka
 80% Buddhist
 After Independence government declared
Sinhala national language and provided
support for Buddhist institutions
 Angered Tamil/Hindu minority
 Civil War from the 1970’s- 2008
 Sarvodaya Shramadana movement

25. Christianity in Africa, Asia and Latin
America
 Largely spread by missionaries
 Liberation Theology- rise of the “people power”
(Gustavo Gutierrez)
 Oppression against native populations in Latin
America early on.
 Catholic Church often associated with
repressive regimes.
 Aristide in Haiti

26. Who Will Speak For Islam?
 Main Points?