Re: Radicalization of education in Pakistan
Well reason should dictate that beheading innocent people regardless of their faith is something that is repugnant not only in Islam but all faiths and all humanity. Now their are differences of opinion and interpretation ie Sunni, Shia, Ahmadi (god forbid they should be lumped into the categories of Islam), and then there are the “murder anyone who doesn’t agree with us” sorts. And so while all people have a right to believe what they like, your rights end where my nose begins is the reason why we dont accept ISIS. So if all they did was fight the Assad regime and not impose their beliefs and behead innocent people, well that would be ok, but their ambitions are a bit more g*****ose and their violations of basic human rights is what deems them to be criminals and invalidates their beliefs…
Why is it dangerous for society? Where to begin! You look to Pakistan. State imposed ideology has created a society where differences are no longer tolerated, where people applaud and cheer a man who murders someone for suspected blasphemy! Its your belief, irrational as it is im sorry to say, that there is ONE ideal Islam, means that anyone who doesnt fit this mold is now a heretic and worthy of death!
This is the ugly side of religion. when a particular ideology is ingrained into a generation starting from birth, too the point that they can no longer think logically or rationally because their world view is so tainted, as they are indoctrinated into believing that their very identity is this one single ideology, and thus any challenge to that ideology is a challenge to identity, and therefore elicits violent outbursts. Anything that is a perceived challenge to the ideology of Pakistan’s majority is suppressed, be it Shia, Ahmadis, Hindus, Christians, liberal Sunnis, Barelvi etc etc. . The reason is that that identity is not shared by many in Pakistan, and so those Millions are then the “others.” Basically the state has turned millions of her own citizens into aliens, and encourages her citizens to do the same by foisting an exclusionist ideology on them. And it starts with making sure that children are never exposed to girls not wearing Hijab, and making sure that “Good-Morning” is replaced by Assala-o-Laikum and extends throughout their life so that anyone who doesnt believe exactly what they do, is somehow inferior, and their mere existence is not only an attack on their sensibility but Islam and God himself.
When you dont have respect for diversity of opinion and belief, if you dont allow people to be exposed to diversity as it exists in the world, in a place as diverse as Pakistan, then you are creating a generation of close minded people who lack the flexibility of mind to accept and tolerate others around them. Why is India so much more harmonious then Pakistan? Because they had the good sense to respect diversity by not imposing any one ideology or belief at the expense of others.