THE RELIGIOUS RIGHTS AND THE POWER TO BELIEVE

Mushafau Ade Kukoyi
Harv Bishop
Introduction to Political Science
November 1, 2005

The Religious Rights and the Power to Believe

Are you a Muslim or a Christian?
Are you a Catholic or Protestants?
Are you a Believer or a Non-Believer?

These are regular questions and challenges that most individuals face on a daily bases within our society. As an individual born to a Muslim family late in the 60’s, I can relate to some of these questions and the challenges or consequences that I had to face for my answer to any of these questions.

In the first instance, the influence and power of the agents of socialization (i.e. family, primary school, secondary school, colleges and adulthood) on people in our society especially in Africa, plays a vital role in defining the personality, faith, believes, values and life styles of most people in our society today. I must also admit that, of all these agents of socialization, the family has the strongest influence on the religious rights and believes of an average African including myself.

For example, it is a taboo for you to proclaim a different faith from the original faith of your parent especially that of your father. As such, most children generally end up practicing the faith that they were born into, not as a result of their interest or conviction of the faith but as part of the family ritual that every member of the family is expected to practice and pass on to the next generation.

In most instances, some of these lines of questions stated above are used to target individual behaviors, assault their personality or simply to stereotype people, in other to place them within the certain specific frame in the society.
However, I strongly perceive myself as a liberal, order left, and with basic beliefs in morals, ethics, freedom, justice and equal opportunities for every citizen. Furthermore, I submit that the government need to step in (outside) in other to guarantee fairness and equality of all people within the society. Moreover, government need to regulate and create fair laws and ensure that established institutions follow such rules and regulations in the interest of peace, justice and stability of any progressive nation.

In the first instance, I strongly belief that everybody should have their political views, religious believes and socio-cultural values respected by all individuals and established institutions, rather than overlooking individuals or institutions that promote strict fundamental ideology in the society for everybody to follow.

Secondly, I will also like to point out that most of the primary and secondary educational institutions in western Nigeria, in the 70’s were established and funded by Islamic or Christian organizations. Thus, most students were compelled to renounce their faith and change their names in other to be eligible to enroll into public schools. By so doing, one can notice the great impact of primary and secondary schools in socializing these children from an early age. It is important to state that certain norms such as daily reading of scriptural verses, songs of praise, and act of daily worship were consistent pattern of socialization. At the same time, sanctions were enforced through labeling of those that rebel against such religious educational institutions. Moreover, if you don't believe in their religious practice, you are considered "lost" or if you oppose their political positions, you are considered "blinded by the evil spirit." However, because of the growing numbers of these religious institutions, many believed that they represent the ideologies and identity of true Christianity or Islam. Absolutely, this is not true. These groups represent a far-right position in a much larger spectrum of Christian and Muslim believers.

However, fundamentalist ideas are nothing new in our society, however they can be harsh, hypercritical and downright mean, but in most cases, they are not true representatives of any of the faiths or values for which they claim to speak. It is important to state that every major religion has had its share. For example, fundamentalists Muslims have made many non-Muslims fear the religion, and yet the Muslim faith, in its true sense, remains a peace-loving faith. At the same time, fundamentalist Christians have made many non-Christians fear the religion, and yet the Christian faith, at its core, remains a peaceable faith. It's only when fundamentalists are allowed to gain political power through established institutions that their existence becomes a threat to mankind. That is why the government needs to create appropriate laws and regulate and check established institutions accordingly.

Furthermore, other examples include that of the Sikh fundamentalists that shot the bullets that killed Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandi. At the same time, Islamic fundamentalists that are launching terror attacks against American targets around the world, British Protestant fundamentalists who were responsible for launching terror attacks against the minority Irish Catholics in Northern Ireland. Likewise, recently in the United States, there is a growing fear of legislative and physical abuse against human rights, led, by institutionalized fundamentalists.

However, my experience at the college and adulthood level is quite different from that of the other agents of socialization. This is largely due to the fact that the college level help to stimulate your critical thinking capability and you ability to interact with fellow peers within the society. Moreover, you have the options of choosing from a broader perspective of various media, communities and friends that are available to you as a grown up individual.

Finally, it is important to state that the real issue with these ideology, people or institutions is not their specific beliefs, values or faiths. It is their addictions to thinking they are right with the firm believes that they have a corner on the market of truth. In other words, to belief that the truths they've professed in their minds are indeed absolute truths and that everyone else must be made to believe in the same truths lest they die.