Aug 25 2016
Separating politics from religion
     
By Daoud Kuttab
Colourful posters of smiling candidates are not new among election-related paraphernalia. But a certain orange-colour poster caught people’s attention because of the slogans it contained.
One slogan read: “No to the exploitation of religion.â€
Another affirmed support “for a civilian stateâ€. A third showed two arrows going to opposite direction with the words “politics†and “religionâ€.
As religious extremism grows in the region, a strong movement that believes in the separation of politics from religion is starting to grow.
A popular Facebook group called “towards a civilian state in Jordan†has attracted over 2,000 members and includes some serious discussions and debates.
This attempt at secularisation is being replicated in many Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, despite the strong push back by religious groups and individuals who feel that talk of separating religion from politics is heresy and an imported ideology. Continue Reading »