Religious Persecution Is a Problem - Essay Example

Religious persecution Introduction Religious persecution is a problem that has affected humankind throughout the human history. Many individuals upholding different religious faiths have been subjected to discrimination, torture, imprisonment and death. Minority and religious groups as well have also been subjected to religious persecution. In addition to that, there are a lot of civics wars that have occurred due to religious persecution. These events have happened with varying degrees of intensity. 1. What does religion mean in peoples’ life? Since our aim is to understand what religious persecution really means, it is important to define religion within the framework of persecution. In regard to these, there exist three different forms of religious facets that are of particular vitality in defining religion (Gunn 392). These are: religion as a belief, religion as an identity and religious as a way of life. In any religious persecution or discrimination, any of these three facets might come into play. On the other hand, a combination of all the there faces might sometimes take the center stage. Although the three facets are the ones most commonly associated with religious persecutions and conflicts, other facets of religion not identified here can also be of some relevance. The definition of faith as a belief is based on the convictions that people have concerning God, honest, truth or faith doctrines (Hamlet 265). A religion based on belief emphasizes the adherence to doctrines such as the five pillars of Islam, the transmigration of souls and the Nicene Creed among others. Typically, belief religion is characterized by the emphasis on understanding religious doctrines. Belief based religion is enhanced by conversion and adoption of new doctrines of belief. According to Gunn, from the perspective of the persecutor, the religious behaviors of others are considered as heresy and blasphemy and are therefore superstitiously held. Consequently, the religious leaders of the targeted religion are considered as false prophets, cult leaders and tricksters. In some instances, the whole group is subjected to persecution even if the group shares the same ethnicity with the persecutors. Good examples are cases from countries like Pakistan, Egypt and Iran (Gunn 394). The definition of religion as an identity is based on affiliation to a particular group (Hamlet 267). In this instance, a given religion is associated with a family, a tribe, an ethnic group, race, nationality or statehood. In identity religion, followers believe that they were born in their religion and did not just subscribe to it as a result of conversion. Identity based religion does not take into consideration the individual and shared theological beliefs that might exist within the larger group. It rather emphasizes on shared cultures, ethnicity, nationhood, histories and cultures. An example of identity based religion is a case whereby most Arabs consider themselves as being Muslims even if they have never entered a mosque or have no knowledge about the Koran. Gunn argues that this sense of affiliation might extend even to those who are self-consciously non-religious. Another case is where some people associate themselves to a given religion due to its prominence in the country in which they were born. For example, some people might believe that they are members of the Orthodox Church due to being Russians or followers of Islam due to being born in Uzbek or Buddhists due to being Burmese by birth (Gunn 399). In a case where religion is tied to ethnicity and culture, the persecutor does not attack the targets due to their doctrines and beliefs but due to the fact that religion is seen as a threat to group identity. Here, even the non-religious are attacked so long as they are ethnically associated with a given religious group. During the Nazis wars in Germany, the Jews were mercilessly and indiscriminately persecuted on the basis of identity religion. Not all Jews that lived in Germany at that time held all the doctrines of Judaism (Hamlet 270). When religion is defined as a way of life, it is associated with rituals, customs, traditions and actions that differentiate the followers of one religion from the followers of other religions. Examples of instances where religion is held as a way of life are the cases of Muslims praying five times a day and followers of Judaism circumcising their males. This particular facet of religion serves to refute Clifford Gertz’s treatment o f religion as purely a belief (Gunn 402). All in all, it is worthy mentioning that if religion is upheld as a way of life, it is likely to affect the lives of many people and is likely to be accommodated by the laws of a state. For example, in administration of oaths of loyalty, most countries use religious invocations. For the persecutor, religious rituals and ways of life in general can trigger discrimination and persecution. The persecutor may accuse those who are involved in given ways of life as being fanatics. Those criticisms become worse in situations where given religious movements are totally unfamiliar and new, as opposed to the familiar and commonly held practices. In such a case, the persecutor might not accommodate the “alien” ways of life which might end up interfering with the normalcy of the day (Hackett and Silk 202). 2. What are the types of persecution that might be practiced against some group? According to Hackett and Silk, there are two main types of religious persecution based on how persecution is effected. On one hand, compulsion can be effected in form of undertakings that disrupt and interfere with religious activities. On the other hand, coercion can be effected in form of enforcing compliance to particular religious norms (Hackett and Silk 198). In coercion that interferes with a given religion, religious services, buildings, shrines and symbols are disrupted. The followers of the unwanted religion might lose their lives as well. This kind of religious compulsion is triggered by feelings of hatred and an urge to destroy a particular religious community and force it to flee from a given region. A classic example of this kind of persecution is the one which was practiced against the Jews by Nazi Germany. Coercion that enhances conformity to a given religion is normally misunderstood and therefore, overlooked. All in all, the driving force behind this kind of compulsion is the urge to enforce religious compliance in the society. In such cases, a religious community or the state forces people to conform to religious rules which are considered as normal and an acceptable way of life. A relevant example is the Saudi Arabian religious police who randomly walk in market places and punish males who are not in prayers during prayer time and women without complete veils on their heads. In its extremes, coercion that seeks to promote religious conformity sometimes becomes serious to an extent of leading to death of those who are not ready to conform (Hamlet 276). One thing to note about the coercion that seeks to promote religious conformity is that it sometimes targets a particular group (Hackett and Silk 200). For instance, in most areas characterized by this kind of religious persecution, women and girls suffer more than men and boys. For example, in Saudi Arabia and other Islamic states, most religious laws and rules are geared towards women and girls who are expected to adhere to them to the letter. In the Caste system of Indians, the Dalits (untouchables) and women suffer most than the nobles and men. Based on the agents of religious persecution, various types of religious persecution can be induced by states, the society and religious groups themselves. To start with, state induced religious persecution is still a common phenomenon in some parts of the 21st Century world. As reported by Hamlet, few decades ago, China prohibited all religious activities which had no authorization from the state (Hamlet 290). In Burma, the Burmese authority still does not allow any form of religious activity that is associated with Christianity or Islam. Saudi Arabia also still restricts all forms of religious practices except those which are consistent with Wahhabi teachings. The Pakistan law that is against blasphemy is still strong and was designed to enhance persecution against Ahmadis and Christians. Interreligious persecution is also common. This is a case whereby one religious group puts pressure upon another religious group. Wherever this kind of persecution has occurred, it has proved to be the most violent form of persecution. The situation is worse in cases where religion is tied to ethnicity and identity. It is also important to note that this type of persecution is not necessarily sanctioned by leaders of the conflicting religious faiths. The religious wars between Muslims and Christians in the Middle East and in countries like Nigeria and Sudan are appropriate examples of interreligious persecution (Hackett and Silk 201). Sometimes the society can be held responsible for persecution of religious groups (Hamlet 302). This type of persecution is triggered by the notions of upholding religion as an identity and way of life as described above. In this case, one religious community attacks another religious community due to different notions of identity and not on grounds of differing ideologies and beliefs. A classic example here is the violence practiced by Hindus against Muslims in the Gujarat state of India. In Bosnia, all religious groups are susceptible to societal discrimination, violence and persecution. 3. What is the result when people try to practice their religion and the government prevents them? It is shameful that in the wake of the 21st Century, some governments still support religious persecution and violence. In Russia, the Orthodox Church has a monopoly and it has got support from the government. This has resulted in discrimination and persecution of followers of other churches and religions. In Turkey, Christianity is favored by the government at the expense of Islam and other religions. For instance, Muslim women in Turkey do not publically wear head clothes and headscarves. They fear public reproach and discrimination if they reveal their identity as Muslims. This has led to a situation where Islam is practiced privately in Turkey. As noted by Hackett and Silk, in Saudi Arabia, governance and the political system in general are synonymous with the Islamic religion (Hackett and Silk 262). The same case applies with India where Hinduism is deeply rooted and embraced by the political authority. Due to a clear cut between politics and religion, this confusion has ignited interreligious and civil wars in some parts of the country. Such wars have been fueled by political leaders in the name of protecting their faiths. Such incidences have been reported in Sudan, Nigeria and Pakistan and in some parts of India and the Middle East. 4. What are the solutions of the religion persecution problem? According to the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCCC), religious persecution as a problem that has threatened freedom since time in memorial needs a permanent solution. It violates human rights and freedom of worship. The council has given some recommendations and suggestions on how the problem of religious persecution can be curbed. To begin with, the council suggests that religious persecution can be addressed through multilateral efforts by countries. Unilateral efforts are ineffective and never productive. If applied, unilateral response might interfere with a given country or state’s ability to participate in social development through curbing human rights abuses, religious persecution included. This is due to the fact that each country will tend to concentrate more on internal issues and less on global matters. According to the council, a multilateral approach to the problem of religious persecution can be guided by the International Religious Freedom Act. If the government personnel are appropriately trained on religious issues, incidences of religious persecution are likely to go to the oblivion. This can be coupled with thorough investigation and reporting. Trained, informed and knowledgeable government personnel will serve as ambassadors of spreading massages of tolerance and respect for freedom of religion. This criterion has been used in reducing religious persecution in places like United States and Germany. Sanctions can also be used in curbing religious persecution and abuse human rights in general. However, sanctions should be used as the last resort and not the initial one. All in all, multilateral participation in effecting sanctions against the persecutor is the most desirable strategy in ensuring that religious persecution is effectively brought to a halt. A unilateral effort in imposition of sanctions against the persecutor might be of less help and significance. In the past, sanctions have been imposed in countries like Uzbekistan and Bosnia which have experienced the worst part of religious persecution. NCCC also recommends that world governments and other initiatives must ensure that traditions, rituals, cultures and general ways of life of other people and nations are respected. In regard to curbing religious persecution, this respect includes showing respect to the traditions and beliefs of established religions of the world. Thus religious liberty should be allowed in that people should not use their own thoughts, philosophies and standards in judging the religious beliefs of others. Finally, it is important to take appropriate steps in ensuring that the issue of religious liberty is not politicized at all costs. Political disagreements should not be the root cause of religious persecutions. In cases where politics get in, it is normally difficult to differentiate between a religious persecution and a political uprising. To avoid this confusion that might be problematic, it is therefore important for politics to be distanced from all forms of religious conflicts. 5. What are the roles played by some international organizations to diminish religious persecution? Various international organizations have been in the forefront in advocating for the ebb of religious persecution. To start with, according to the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, member countries should work towards realization of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms. This should be done without discrimination based on sex, race, language or religion. The United Nations has always intervened in whenever member states breached the provisions of this particular declaration. According to the US Department of State, during his era, Bill Clinton, the President of the United States played a crucial role in reducing religious persecution that had engulfed some regions of the world. Clinton put religious persecution at the forefront of the US issues. This saw the formation of International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), a new foreign police machinery that was designed to counteract the spread of religious persecution around the world. The European Union has also played a crucial role in reducing religious persecution. For instance, following the massacre of Azerbaijan which left around 800 victims dead, the European Union imposed various sanctions against Uzbekistan. Sanctions included a travel ban for senior government officials and suspension from EU among others. The Azerbaijan persecution had occurred as a result of a protest for the release of 23 people who had been accused of Islamic fanaticism. The persecution was effected by government officials who opened fire against unarmed civilians. As reported by the US Department of State, in 2002 general elections, Christians in Zimbabwe were arrested by the police for holding prayers for elections although they previously held such prayers during election times. The European Union also intervened by imposing sanctions against President Mugabe and Zimbabwe. Conclusion Religion is an important element that has can be used to effectively define the various ways of human life. Human beings are credible creatures endowed with conscience and reason and that they are superior to all other creatures. In regard to this, each person should be given freedom to enjoy his rights that he or she needs in order to live more comfortably and peacefully. Religious freedom is one of the human rights identified by the United Nations Charter and most governments of the world. Therefore, it is important to note that any form of religious persecution is illegal and unjustifiable. World governments, organizations and civil societies should take a centre stage in ensuring that every human being is allowed to enjoy his or her religious freedom. Works Cited: Gunn, Jeremy. The Complexity of Religion and the Definition of Religion in International Law, Harvard Human Rights Journal, 8.4(2003): 392-402. Hackett, Rosalind and Silk, Mark. Religious Persecution as a US Policy Issue. Leonard Greenberg Centre: New York, 1991. Hamlet, John. Types of Persecution. SAGE Publications: London, 2007. Institute for War and Peace Reporting. Should EU End Sanctions against Uzbekistan? Central Asia Human Rights Reporting Project, 6.492(2011): 28-51. National council of Churches. NCC Statement on Proposed Federal Legislation Addressing Religious Persecution. Accessed on December 8, 2011 from http://www.nccusa.org. United Nations. Charter of United Nations: Chapter IV: The General Assembly. Accessed on December 9, 2011from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml. United Nations. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Accessed on December 9, 2011from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml. US Department of State. Zimbabwe: US Department of State. Accessed on December 8, 2011 from http://www.zimbabwesituation.org/?p=1281. Read More