That’s me in the Corner Losing My Religion

what a crappy article

#6

I third this suggestion.. no more religion ..

this thing has been thrashed to death..

romair:
#6

i second that amen!!

and well articulated !

Romair

Amen!!!

Oops! here I go again starting a religion war!!

Not totally related to this article, but:

There are far too many discussions and articles, related to religion and its off-shoot - secularism - on Chowk. It`s a complete waste of time, discussing this stuff, everyday. Chowk is turning into the drug pusher, who pushes the same drug so much that eventually people get addicted to it, and see their whole lives centered around the drug.

Religion this, religion that, secularism this, secularism that. I cannot think of anyone who is more useless to a society, than a person, whose whole center of intellectual gravity is locked into religion and secularism. They can never do anything productive or constructive, other than pontificate about how they have the exact solution for the world - be it religious or secular - and ridicule anyone who is different from them.

This is why, the most argumentative, time-wasting, abusive, and self-righteous individuals on this site are the ones who push religion and secularism the whole day, or oppose either the whole day. After five years, one would think they would have exhuasted themselves, but they still go on. And to this day, I have not seen a single one of them convince someone of an opposing view, to their view of the world!

What a complete waste of intellectual bandwidth.........How about discussing economics and poetry and literature and science and business and construction and art and industry and philanthrapy and history and medicine etc. Something that people can use to raise their standard of living........

Chowk, unfortunately, keeps pumping the above individuals up by putting one article after another about these two topics. As if Pakistan (and the rest of the world) have no other issue. Not a single major thing will change in Pakistan if it becomes religious. And not a single major thing will change if it becomes secular. Not one. This I know for a fact. Since these two topics are important only to tiny minorities of the population. If religion is brought in, those bringing it in will secure their own sects, but continue to discriminate against other sects. If secularism in brought in, those bringing it in, will stop discriminating against Ahmedis, but will continue to discriminate against Pakistani homosexuals and gays and others whom they don`t like.........

So, could I make a humble request: Could Chowk stop publishing article after article on religion and/or secularism, 24 x 7. And things related to them like ISNA and terrorism and Ata-Turk and what not. One article should be enough. And tell people who have no other knowledge, to start increasing their knowledge in other areas, and then write articles. I think we have heard everything they have to offer on religion and secularism. At the very least, how about no more than one article related to religion/secularism on the front page........

This has to be one of the main reasons tha the discourse on Chowk has never been able to go beyond abusive name calling between those pushing religion and those pushing secularism. They have, unfortunately, been allowed to take center stage.

Get SR to write a few articles about economics. I learn more from one of his articles than from from ten articles on why someone wants to wear shorts or a hijab. Or why Jinnah said this word or that in a speech. While I enjoy hamidm`s writing skills and comedy, I am really far more interested in what he does as a consultant (about which we know nothing) than his views on religion - about which we know more than should be humanly allowable. And while Ahmedis are an important part of our society, so are gays, homosexuals, bisexuals, eunuchs, Ismailis and khojas and sharecroppers and challiwallahs and bus conductors and the fishermen in Gwadar and other minorities. How about publishing such articles. And while Naqshbandi quoting his aulia all the time may be entertaining for a while, I am far more interested in what Naqshbandi is studying in his Ph.D. And while Urstruly has some interesting hadith on the size of a man`s underwear, I would be far more interested in him describing the military tactics used by Khalid bin Walid in his many battles.....

So here is an idea: How about we declare the next six months to be Religion/Secularism free months on Chowk. You won`t be able to ban one and allow the other. They are mutually parasitical. You have to ban them both, together. No article related to these topics, be it Jinnah or terrorism or hijab or Taliban or Turkey or anything else. Create a separate place for people who want to fight these battle, somewhere in a Chowk corner.

Believe me, the standard of Chowk will go up exponentially.............There is, after all, a lot more to Pakistan and to the world, than religion and secularism..........if the world`s problems could be solved by these two things, we wouldn`t need doctors, and engineers and economists and artists...........

It would appear that you are taking up the example of individuals to devoid you of the spiritual stuggle within yourslef ( I assumed as you concieve the existence of `Initiater` )

As to the lower intellectual interpretations of an under-previliged society like majority of mulsims in Pakistan and elsewhere, there shouldnt be any one better placed than your self to reflect and not not lose the grip on truth.

sher khan,

........... i hope you have not submitted this paper to your eighth grade school social science teacher yet - you will get a c (maybe a c+) ...............

...... chowk staff: do you guys even look at what you put up on the fp ? .............. please !

Dear Mr Sher Khan,
Appearances can be deceptive.
Islam is not a religion of a particular group of people or a particular geographic area. Islam is a way of life for all. So there is no such thing as an Islamic culture. Anything that doesnt contradict a basic Islamic ruling is permissible. If a person wants to wear jeans and joggers to cover himself up, then there is nothing wrong with that. But if someone wants to wear a shalwar kameez with a deep neck line, then its not permissible.
My teacher has taught me to question the sort of Islam that is still to be implemented on Muslims? What sort of Islam is it? Isnt it enough that we are all muslims? The Islamic parties are hypocrites, they call themselves Islamic, are the other political parties Non Islamic? Is the Jamaat-e-Islami the Only `Islamic` Jamaat and all the others are Non Islamic?? Is the Muslim League the Only League for Muslims and all the others are Non Muslims???
As my teacher used to pray, I also pray
`May Allah Save Islam from the Muslims`
Amin Sum Amin.

Mein nay aur shaitan nay milker Janat ki dewar say jhanka
Sehmay howay houro kay pechay Wehshi mullah bhag rahay thay...

One Islam.

Gzallions of Interpretations...

eemaan mujhe rokay hai jo kheenchay hai mujhe kufr
kaaba mere peechhay hai kaleesa mere aagay

I think the time for dichotomy is up. In the life of nations these things take time; but I am quite hopeful. May be in my lifetime I will not be able to see the positive effects of what is going on with this process but one thing is for sure that wheel has started turning in an irreversible direction.