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Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 2:10 am
(This post was last modified: April 9, 2018 at 2:13 am by GODZILLA.)
Yes, I understand this is the case here in the U.S. However, it is not extreme, we are at least a secular society. Now why is it those nations such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and many others allow Islam to have such a heavy influence and basically control their government and everyone that lives within it. Essentially, why is it hundreds of nations all over the world have become more secular, meanwhile the majority of the Middle East hangs on to Islam. Same with parts of Africa as well, however I am more interested in the middle east when it comes to this topic.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 2:57 am
(This post was last modified: April 9, 2018 at 2:58 am by ignoramus.)
They allow it because they want it.
They want it because they've been indoctrinated.
Such is the power of religion.
Simple as that.
Civil wars won't change that. It needs to be a generational voluntary change.
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Know God, Know fear.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 3:32 am
(This post was last modified: April 9, 2018 at 3:32 am by purplepurpose.)
Extreme poverty in majority of the countries there.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 7:02 am
Indoctrination, ignorance and poverty.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 10:09 am
(This post was last modified: April 9, 2018 at 10:10 am by The Grand Nudger.)
I can't recall where, but I once read an interesting opinion on the nature of people too..in the absence or failure of real goods and services...to more aggressively seek out intangibles that -are-..at least conceptually, within their reach.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 10:23 am
(April 9, 2018 at 2:10 am)Libertarian God Wrote: However, it is not extreme, we are at least a secular society.
Please remind the bible belt of that where government officials refuse to do their job based on their faith, IN GOD WE TRUST is on all the money, the words ONE NATION UNDER GOD are in our "not mandatory" (but teachers will hit children who don't stand or recite it) pledge, the ten commandments sit on government property...
Yes I understand your point but I really do live in a religious society here in Texas even if the government pretends it's not.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 11:20 am
(This post was last modified: April 9, 2018 at 11:20 am by GrandizerII.)
(April 9, 2018 at 2:10 am)Libertarian God Wrote: Yes, I understand this is the case here in the U.S. However, it is not extreme, we are at least a secular society. Now why is it those nations such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and many others allow Islam to have such a heavy influence and basically control their government and everyone that lives within it. Essentially, why is it hundreds of nations all over the world have become more secular, meanwhile the majority of the Middle East hangs on to Islam. Same with parts of Africa as well, however I am more interested in the middle east when it comes to this topic.
Many others, like? Lebanon? Syria? Iraq? Jordan? Emirates?
I'll grant that Saudi Arabia and Iran are extreme, but perhaps you should reconsider your evaluation of the severity of religious (particularly, Christian) influence in your country of residence (in some of the states at least), because it's almost as bad as the countries I've listed here.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 11:35 am
Quote:In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own. -Thomas Jefferson, 1814
Need I remind you that until around the late 17th century the West was every bit as church-ridden as the muslims are now? It was men like Jefferson who led the charge.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 12:06 pm
(April 9, 2018 at 2:10 am)Libertarian God Wrote: Yes, I understand this is the case here in the U.S. However, it is not extreme, we are at least a secular society. Now why is it those nations such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and many others allow Islam to have such a heavy influence and basically control their government and everyone that lives within it. Essentially, why is it hundreds of nations all over the world have become more secular, meanwhile the majority of the Middle East hangs on to Islam. Same with parts of Africa as well, however I am more interested in the middle east when it comes to this topic.
Instead of thinking of one point in history and one label, it would be wiser to look at global history and the influence in every religion it has had on local and regional politics.
It would be a myth to claim that only Islam has been brutal in human history. Most of the world in antiquity lived under local ruling families and their respective tribal states, and even in prior polytheism the warring rulers were often brutal in conquest.
I think the better question now is "Can Islam pull itself out of it's own dark ages?" When you see cracks like Malala's bravery, and now Atlass's story of Saudi Arabia abandoning it's own right wing to some degree. I think this is possible.
But lets also keep in mind that we, will not be around as individuals in another 100 or 500 years, and in the future it could be very possible for one part of the world to progress and another part of the world to regress and repeat. We do see a dangerous trend in the west of religious nationalism trying to assert itself.
The wife of one of my friends would call herself a liberal, but even she, when I mention that I don't believe in a God, has the same uncomfortable look I see from conservatives. She may "tolerate" me more, but that fear of being wrong is still in her face, and she is still using the same bible the right does.
Even between Buddhists and Muslims, Buddhists have in parts of Asia been very oppressive to Muslim.
Point is, while the west by comparison is considered more progressive, it would be a mistake to assume it will stay that way. Complacency in assuming is a mistake. The baton of human rights is a torch that must constantly be passed down through educating humans of not just the transgressions of others, but even those in our own geographies and histories.
But to answer your question the west has had a longer history of keeping religion on a leash. It won't be kept that way if we assume it will always be that way.
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RE: Why do countries in the middle east allow religion to have such an influence?
April 9, 2018 at 12:11 pm
(April 9, 2018 at 2:10 am)Libertarian God Wrote: Yes, I understand this is the case here in the U.S. However, it is not extreme, we are at least a secular society. Now why is it those nations such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and many others allow Islam to have such a heavy influence and basically control their government and everyone that lives within it. Essentially, why is it hundreds of nations all over the world have become more secular, meanwhile the majority of the Middle East hangs on to Islam. Same with parts of Africa as well, however I am more interested in the middle east when it comes to this topic.
Extreme poverty = more religious.
Because the poor tend to favor god and religion.
If on the other hand, the trend of mass poverty were to end maybe just maybe the world would get more secular.
But as it stands currently the wealth inequality is a worldwide problem hence forth the world turning more religious.
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