SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

IN THIS 'GOD-FEARING NATION IS IT NOT TIME TO HAVE THE SAME DEBATE AS OUR UGANDAN COUNTERPARTS?

Dear friends,Atheists, secularists and Humanists, HALEA is organizing a public debate on the theme of Separation of Religion and State.The Big Debate is scheduled for 25th March, at Club Obligato, in Kampala city.HALEA therefore invites all those that can attend to be there or send views on the subject that will enrich the debate.We have invited politicians, religious leaders, scholars, students and opinion leaders to share their views.Below is a brief concept note being given to the targeted participants.Hope to meet you there or hear from you, Kato Mukasa, Coordinator, Open Talk Debates ( +256 772- 576635)
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ON ‘OPEN TALK DEBATES’ THIS FRIDAY: 25.MARCH. 2011- At CLUB OBLIGATO (2:00pm -5:00pm)

Topic: Separation of Religion and State. Should Religious Leaders be barred from Politics?

Whereas Uganda’s motto is for God and My Country, there is no official State religion, thus, - at least going by the 1995 Constitution – Uganda is Secular Nation. Secularists argue that religion should not be involved with the ordinary social and political activities of a country. However; religious leaders greatly influence the leadership and governance of the nation. The Inter Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) has been actively involved in the recently concluded elections.IRCU for instance met all presidential aspirants to ensure a free and fair election.IRCU also organized  special days ( Feb 11,12&13) to pray for peaceful elections.  We have also noted how politicians use religious leaders to gain power and sometimes offer them expensive gifts using tax payers’ money.

On several occasions, the Catholic Church has asked the Central government to restore a good working relationship with Buganda Kingdom in order to resolve their current stand off. Similarly, the Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC) is known for among others condemning Uganda Police Force for its brutality in stopping public rallies. President Museveni has too often, condescendingly told religious leaders to concentrate on spiritual matters and leave politics to him. In his sermon last Sunday (20^th March), Fr.Archiles Mayanja, of Rubaga Catholic Church insisted that the church can not keep out of politics because it is part of the body politic. We now ask whether the role played by religious leaders is equated to participating in politics.

We also note that some religious leaders have openly participated in politics and yes, in partisan politics too. The late Fr.John Mary Waligo was un apologetic supporter of the ruling party, NRM.The late Fr. Sseguya was an RDC, Imam Kasozi openly supports JEMA party and we know several men and women of God including priest in Parliament and other positions of leadership , many of them on the NRM ticket. Pastors such as Peter SSematimba and Robert Kayanja have openly supported the NRM party. We appreciate the fact that political contests in Uganda are generally marred by mudslinging, open bribery and vote rigging. Uganda is sharply divided along religious, ethnic and political lines and there is an urgent need to foster peace and unity as a basis for real development. Former UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion/Beliefs, Abdel Fatah Amor, noted: ‘There are only two problems, when the state owns religion and when religion owns the state’

Given the above picture

·         Should religious leaders be de linked from partisan politics or the body politic as a whole?

·         When does the involvement of religious leaders in the body politic become unnecessary?

·         What should be the role of religious leaders in Uganda’s political setting to day?

POLITE NOTE: Open Talk Debate is a forum for critical intellectual discussion and not emotional outbursts. The debate is organized by HALEA.

-          HALEA: Humanist Association for Leadership Equity and Accountability

SCIENCE & CRITICAL THINKING 20 TH MARCH 2011

THE FOLLOWING WAS PUBLISHED IN OUR REGULAR SCIENCE & CRITICAL THINKING COLUMN IN THE SUNDAY TIMES (OF MALAWI) – MARCH 20, 2011

WHY HUMANISM IS BETTER THAN SUPERSTITION

By Bonda Chifundo, Chancellor College

Quote: When even the brightest mind in our world has been trained up from childhood in a superstition of any kind, it will never be possible for that mind, in its maturity, to examine sincerely, dispassionately, and conscientiously any evidence or any circumstance which shall seem to cast a doubt upon the validity of that superstition. I doubt if I could do it myself. Mark Twain

Superstition encompasses beliefs in gods and witchcraft. Humanism rebuffs superstition, all supernatural beliefs and places man at the centre of life.  Let me show why Humanism is better than superstition by looking at these  three ways; reliability, the contribution each makes to humanity, and the view each holds of the human race.

 

RELIABILITY: Superstition is based on beliefs that have not been experienced and for which little evidence exists. It is founded on the precept of the unknown, unseen and should be feared. Superstition instils fear; a tendency not to question it even if one sees flaws in it.  Fear is unhealthy; it restricts people from reaching their full potential and enjoying life. Humanism promotes the need to question everything and promotes free inquiry. Beliefs must be questioned. As a result, Man has made great strides in life. It was humans not gods who discovered modern medicines, created modern technology and invented things. All the inventions and positive discoveries are a result of human effort on its own.  

 

CONTRIBUTION TO HUMANITY:  Superstition has been the major cause of conflicts, death and human suffering. Religion has caused millions of deaths by persecution and we still have wars among different religious groups.  Religion and other superstitions consume a lot of time, money and human labour and waste a lot of resources. If the money going to building churches  were to build schools; help the poor and time spent in prayer well utilised in human development, we would be better off.  Humanists don’t worship in churches, thereby saving resources, advocate that everyone must be productive; promotes reasoning without having to conform to imaginary supernatural entities. Through reasoning, man has achieved great wonders. Humanism promotes scientific explorations, whose discoveries have promoted a better life for humanity to our present world.

 

VIEWS OF HUMANITY; Superstition places man below the supernatural powers and therefore obliges man to subjugate himself to them. In Christianity man is below Jesus and God. Man’s purpose is to glorify these entities. Superstition denigrates man and elevates the unknowable. Superstition leads people to see others as members of a group and discriminates against minorities. In African tradition and the Holy books, woman is merely a creation to serve man. Humanism believes in the power of the human being, and that there is no supernatural source of help. Humans must solve challenges of wars, poverty, and disease on their own. Humanist do not discriminate against anyone and through evolution see men and women as equal, who live this life in the here and now without discrimination.

 

We live in the 21st century where we cannot be guided by doctrines and dogma. The world is now different and changing. Humanity must examine the world without fear, pursue its dreams and create a better world, free from the baleful influence of belief in non-existent powers.  That is what Humanism has to offer.

Feedback:   chiprebokam@gmail.com

SCIENCE & CRITICAL THINKING,

USEFUl KNOWLEDGE 
by Harold Williams
Published in Sunday Times (Malawi) March 6th, 2011

Quote:

As people become more intelligent they care less for preachers and more for teachers.

Robert G. Ingersoll

Most of us will have learnt at school that scientific knowledge is the result of investigation, scrutiny and testing. We had the opportunity at school to test some of this knowledge by way of experimentation. We learnt that each successful experiment can be replicated time and again without any difference in outcome.

We cannot expect to put to the test all of the knowledge which we receive. We learnt that our ‘authorities’ – well-qualified teachers – and our reference books are so trustworthy that we could unquestioningly put the knowledge to practical use.

I learnt that water boils at different temperatures depending upon atmospheric pressure which varies with altitude. At sea level water boils at 100 Degrees Celsius. On Sapitwa, the summit of Mulanje Mountain at 3000 metres above sea level, water boils at 89.947C. Food cooked in boiling water will cook faster at higher temperatures. When I bought a pressure cooker I knew that the build up of pressure in the sealed pot would result in a higher cooking temperature. The pressure in these cookers is 1.03 bar (1 bar being the normal atmospheric pressure at sea level) and cooking temperature is 120C. Repeatability and reliability is my daily proof of useful knowledge that takes the mystery out of my kitchen.  

At the time of our regular schooling we are exposed to another sort of ‘education’ at the hands of different ‘authorities’ – religious leaders and instructors. These ‘specialists’ ride on the back of the trust that we built up in other ‘authorities’ such as our parents and secular teachers. The so-called ‘knowledge’ that religion imparts comes from revelation and ‘sacred’, unchallengeable texts such as the Bible or the Quran. Whereas our secular teachers demonstrated tests for the accuracy and reliability of the knowledge which they were imparting, our religious teachers discouraged any questioning or testing. You cannot remove mystery, the inexplicable, from the mystery that is religion. Without ‘mystery’ there can be no religion. Religious ‘knowledge’ is myth and superstition with no useful application - the enemy of scientific enquiry.

In my childhood I was exposed to many religious superstitions. Children who died before being baptised went to a place called Limbo, denied the everlasting bliss of Heaven. Limbo has now been outlawed by the same clerical ‘authority’. Was it there previously or was it never there? Have all those poor children now gone to Heaven? What of Purgatory? What of Hell? And what of that little personal Guardian Angel who sat by my shoulder telling me what was right and wrong, helping me to fend off Satan’s temptations? What tests do we have for such beliefs? How reliable are our ‘sacred’ texts? How much of this ‘knowledge’ can we trust? What test of the ‘power of prayer’?

And of what use are such beliefs except to give churchmen power over us?

Honestly, now!

ASH MAKES THE FRONT PAGE - THINDWA CHALLENGES THE SORCERERS

Malawi's Nation on Sunday carried a front page challenge from ASH's publicity savvy Executive Secretary, George Thindwa. K 200,000 (about $1400 - a large amount where the average income is less than a dollar a day) is the reward for any 'sorcerer' who manages to 'bewitch' George in a predetermined way.
Self-styled 'Doctor' Musafoke (translation -' Don't be weak') in typical cheating fashion dodged the issue by saying only relatives could bewitch a person when some disagreement or jealousy existed within the family.
Secular Humanism is now very much in people's view and offers a different outlook for the millions enslaved by predatory religions. Read the full article here . http://www.nationmw.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=14373:thindwa-challenges-witches-for-k200-000&catid=119:national-news&Itemid=125
In a seperate report in the Sunday Times, under the heading Rights Group bails out suspected witch Thindwa is featured bailing out the 'witch' Anderson, featured in an earlier blog below. Thindwa also mentioned the release of the three old women 'witches' whos e fines had been paid by Secular Humanists from America. When asked how his family reacted to his secularist and humanist philosophies, Thindwa replied: " Actually the three old ladies of Dowa slept at my house on their way home. My family chatted with them and felt very sad that we Malawians are being unreasonable in troubling old people. They felt some pride in what I did to pay the fines and have them released."

SCIENCE & CRITICAL THINKING

Science & Critical Thinking - the Secular Humanist View is our regular column in Malawi's Sunday Times newspaper. We will be posting weekly articles to this blog. Earlier columns will be posted in due course to the linked blogsite http://ref-mwhumanism.blogspot.com

13th February 2011

INTELLECTUAL AUTONOMY: BEING AN INDEPENDENT THINKER

By Harold Williams

Quote:

What is wanted is not the will to believe, but the will to find out, which is the exact opposite.
Bertrand Russell

We are moulded as children by ‘authority’ – our parents, schoolteachers and religious leaders. Unquestioning obedience is probably the quickest way to develop, learn and establish our position in society. However, if our intellects are to develop we need to begin to question. Just as our bodies mature so should our minds – and that requires critical thinking - a scientific approach to the physical world and a questioning approach to ideas, beliefs and opinions. We need to develop Intellectual Autonomy and become Independent Thinkers.

Autonomous persons are in charge of their lives. They are not irrationally dependent on others and not controlled by infantile emotions. They have self-control. They are competent. … In forming beliefs, critical thinkers do not passively accept the beliefs of others. … They are not limited by the accepted way of doing things. They evaluate traditions and practices that others often accept unquestioningly. … They function from values they themselves have freely chosen. (Richard W. Paul & Linda Elder: Critical Thinking: Tools for Taking Charge of Your Professional and Personal Life. ISBN 0-13064760-8)

The desire to conform, not to be seen as being different from the crowd, is very strong in the human psyche and difficult to overcome. Most people are Intellectual Conformists. In this state they may easily accept the status quo, unquestioningly submitting to dominant groups in society such as politicians, traditional and religious leaders, and captains of business. Thinking for oneself does not always go down well with these dominant groups which need the passivity of the masses to maintain control and to gain or retain power, wealth and influence.

Secular Humanists have generally gone through a period of critical thinking and honest self-evaluation. They often find that the generality of the public is disturbed by pronouncements that may challenge comfortable beliefs and habits. In this series we will challenge many of your cherished beliefs. We hope that you will understand the honest process that preceded the challenge. We hope that you, also, will discipline yourself and examine your beliefs with a critical and honest mind. Just a few suggestions for the exercise:

• Do we REALLY need a Messiah to cure the problems of our nation? Or do we require good policies honestly and vigorously applied?
• Is our President REALLY the ‘father of the nation’? Is that what we voted for?
• How is it that many self-anointed Christian leaders live a rich and ostentatious family life at the expense of their ‘flock’ whilst espousing a doctrine that demands they leave their families and give up all worldly goods? Should we REALLY believe such hypocrites and show them honour?
• If each religious group claims to follow the one true faith, how can we know which group is REALLY right?

Or are they all wrong?

Honestly, now!

Feedback: thinksecular@gmail.com