| QUOTE (K^2 @ Jul 23 2007, 10:32) |
That is a horrible idea. I know it sounds like it should work, but that's exactly why it has been tried so many times before, and why we know that it doesn't work.
The problem is that every religion-centered ideology will teach its followers that there are bad people out there who will try to force them to cast aside their beliefs. You'd only be proving it right with such direct action, making the belief stronger.
No, you must create an environment where everyone has equal rights and opportunities regardless of their religion. That's the only way. You show people that there are good things in life regardless of what they believe. You also provide them with education, which doesn't attempt to prove religion wrong, but shows alternatives. Finally, let the pop culture do its thing. The current generation of religious parents might still be very strict on their children, but the next generation is likely to soften, giving their kids opportunity to immerse themselves in popular colutre, mass media, and other forms of entertainment. In two generations, they'll care more about the brand of their jeans and the artist of the music blasting out of their ear phones than about which deity they worship. |
You have interpreted my comment as implying direct oppressive action. This is not the case (perhaps i was reckless with my choice of terms). I was not proposing that we force our beliefs upon them or discriminate against those of Muslim belief (i even stated that such action would cause revolt and the formation of more opposing ideologies). Instead, i was advocating the idea of using society and mainstream culture to compel them to the majority ideology. Such an idea is not far from your own and is rather simple, in theory at least.
For starters, an environment were religious belief does not define identity must be established. This is, in practice, unachievable. Nevertheless, a neutral religious environment free of mainstream religious recognition is, to some extent, a more practical contingency.
With such an environment established, "recruiting" of the majority ideology can begin. Now, as you elucidated, this would not effect the migrating generation. They would be too loyal to their own ideologies. This does not matter however. The risk is really imposed by the continuation of such ideologies, therefore, it is the future generations whose conversion is required. This is a much easier feat because their exposure to the majority ideology begins before they have reached an age of longterm ideological formation. They are vulnerable to the effects of mainstream culture, and their ideologies, present and future, will be influenced by mainstream culture.
If an environment exists were mainstream media does not recognize religion, the overall ideologies are going to be somewhat contradictory to the codes of certain religions. For example, open and active sexuality may become a much more mainstream ideology. This contradicts the beliefs of certain religions (eg. the Catholic faith) yet in no way directly oppresses any religion. Instead, such strategy utilizes discreet cultural manipulation for the means of oppression. Future generations, who are vulnerable to such mainstream culture, will now have a disposition which contradicts that of their inherited religion. They may not loose their belief of the religious concept, for example, the existence of God, but they will no longer be confined to the codes and finer beliefs of said religion. Instead they will have fragmented from the concept of communal religion and will conversely perceive religion as a "personal matter" where belief is based on modern values instead of inherited codes.
This leads to two possible outcomes:
1. A communally accepted religious perspective based on modern values is formed. This would solve the problem because such modern values would be those of the majority, consequently, their execution by Government would not be detrimental if the beliefs are mutual to the previous majority.
2. Belief would be perceived as a personal matter. Consequently, a Muslim Government couldn't be established through popularity because everyone has their own interpretation of what it means to be Muslim.
I consider such tactic as "strategic oppression."
i live there like this brother 
(the persian style) 
