[kictanet] Should Kenya have a state religion?

[Wainaina Mungai]

Thanks June,

We need that made very clear to persons of all religions. The current
or future constitutions should also be clear on the separation or
Religion & State.

Wainaina

On 4/28/10, June Arunga <akinyiarunga at gmail.com> wrote:
> 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
>
> Tel:
> (GH) +233 (0) 265-503-727
> (US) + 1-347-681-4612
> (US) + 1-240-551-7415
>

-- 
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~