[kictanet] Should Kenya have a state religion?

[June Arunga]

Dear WM,

Political freedom requires a separation of church and state. This principle
is often advocated, but seldom fully understood. Properly, this separation
is rooted in the principle of intellectual freedom. It means that every
individual should be free to think about and accept any idea he chooses.

To say that church is separate from state means that the state makes no
evaluation of its citizens’ ideas, religious or otherwise. The state’s
concern is only with men’s actions, specifically actions that trespass on
individual rights. It neither persecutes nor tolerates nor promotes
ideas—because it is unconcerned with ideas per se.

>From the other direction, to say that state is separate from church, means
that a citizen—including any faction of them, such as a church—is incapable
of using the state’s coercive power to penalize or support ideas, religious
or otherwise. If a citizen wants to hinder or support an idea, he must argue
his case with others, not enact a law.

In a free society, government has no power to persecute or establish
religious ideas because it has no power to police ideas as such. No one,
including those in government, may force their ideas on anyone.
According to the Constitutional principle of the separation of Church and
State, religion is a private matter; it should not be brought into public
issues or into the province of government, and it should not be made a part
of political movements.

Religions have lived in peace with one another and with nonreligious
thinkers only since the 19th century, since the American establishment of
the principle separating Church and State. Some of them, notably the
Catholic Church, have never renounced their dream of regaining control of
the State’s power of compulsion. Is this a goal that the advocates of
political and religious freedom can support, assist or sanction? If this
goal were to succeed, what would become of religious minorities? Or of those
who hold no religion?

Not palatable at all.

----- Principles for a free society (http://principlesofafreesociety.com/)


On 28 April 2010 01:08, Wainaina Mungai <wainaina at madeinkenya.org> wrote:

> Dear Fatma,
>
> You made me ask myself a pertinent question: "Is Kenya really a secular
> state?"
>
> Almost all political and other leaders mix their religious convictions
> with their statutory or political roles. From the President, his
> deputies, coucillors, chiefs, Headmasters, etc religion is apparent in
> their actions.
>
> We also have different by-laws in parts of Kenya that seem to be based
> on Islam, Christianity etc in various parts of Kenya.
>
> I wonder if Kenyans should simply be asked to vote for a state
> religion and make some provisions that accommodate the ''minority''
> religions. We'd have a State religion and have provisions on law that
> protect persons who do not profess that religion.
>
> How palatable is that?
>
> Wainaina
>
> --
> Sent from my mobile device
>
> Wainaina Mungai
> -----
> http://www.bungesms.com
> http://www.madeinkenya.org
> http://www.wainainamungai.com
>
> Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life
> of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by
> being shared. ~ Buddha~
>
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-- 
Very best wishes - June



June Arunga,
119 W 72nd Street,
New York, NY -10023

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