Santa Cruz Sentinel （http://www.santacruzsentinel.com）
How goes it with religion around the world, 22 March 2008
by Laina Farhat-Holzman
Twenty years ago, many of us thought that religion was a dying institution, starting with the developed secular world. We were certainly wrong. Not only is religion alive, it is going through an extremely aggressive phase, some places worse than others.
• United States. No candidate can run for top office in the U.S. who does not profess religious adherence. One could not be an atheist and get elected, even though the unspoken prohibition against Catholics and Jews has become obsolete. There is still concern about Muslims running for office -- and there was fuss over a Mormon running for top office Mitt Romney. But at the same time, outspoken Christian fundamentalists have only the thinnest segment of support. The two examples of this variety of faith Jimmy Carter and President Bush have generated distaste among the majority. Even charming Mike Huckabee cannot convince us. Muscular Christianity has peaked, and is now in decline. And a new survey tells us that more than one in four Americans switch or leave the religion of their childhood -- and the unaffiliated number is now than more than 16 percent.
• World of Islam. The Muslim world is in crisis. Majority Muslim states have tried monarchy, secular dictatorships, and passionate nationalism, none of which have really helped pull medieval societies into the modern world. The upper classes of these countries have benefited from Western educations and exposure, but they are still too small a segment of to bridge the divide. Feudalism and religious fanaticism have much more hold than secular middle class values. Pakistan, however, has surprised us all in how badly the religious parties did in their current election. Maybe there is hope.
• Africa. Fundamentalist Christianity and Islam are meeting head on in Africa's largest country, Nigeria. There is already blood and will be more before we see who prevails.
• Hinduism. One rather alarming group, Hindu fundamentalists the Shiv Sena group is fighting what is looking like losing battle with Western values and culture. As India has finally begun to flower under vibrantly freer enterprise Socialism was not a success there, the Hindu rear guard protests Valentine's Day, setting fire to greeting card shops and florists selling red roses, and beating up young people in parks, hotels, and restaurants, or those seen walking and holding hands. They share the same hatred of this symbol of Western romance as do the Muslim police in Saudi Arabia. In India, these idiots are being laughed at; in Saudi Arabia, only privately.
• Multicultural Malaysia. Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim state, has long pretended to be multicultural and tolerant of those who are secular, Christian, or Hindu. Tamil Indians recently watched the State demolish a slum of 200 houses and an important Hindu temple. Communal tensions simmer more and more in Malaysia which is undergoing increasing Islamization among the powers that be. Upper-class Indians survive by keeping a low profile, as do the Chinese minority often Christian who play a major role in banking and economics. They live in fear.
• Thailand. Thailand is the only modernized Buddhist majority country that is having serious problems with its Muslim minority. This minority has been radicalized by Islamists and the Thais are not dealing gently with this.
• Russia. Russia, which has had a nasty history of religious bigotry. is facing a new dilemma: their once Christian population is in meltdown and their Muslim population formerly colonized is exploding. The Russian army is growing predominantly Muslim -- not a happy picture.
• Europe. Europe, which considers Christianity obsolete, is being overwhelmed by militant Muslims who have long-range fantasies of takeover. What will happen first: integration of Muslims into secular Europe, or the demise of Europe as we have known it?
See the March Atlantic Magazine, which examines religious competition worldwide. Alan Wolfe's "The Coming Religious Peace" is interesting, but he is more optimistic than I am. I see religious wars before that happens.
Laina Farhat-Holzman is a historian, lecturer, and author. You may contact her at Lfarhat102@aol.com or visit her website at www.globalthink.net.
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