Asian Religion And Its Role In Social And Political Development Essay Example

fundamentalists have not ceased their active participation in the battle for the West Bank with the belief that it is something that belongs to the Jews via a biblical mandate, about how Mid east-based terrorists Al-Qaeda 'invoke God' with their every undertaking, and how the world is looking at the prospect of living dangerously with the resurgent Islam and the renewed Catholic fanaticism. Religious leaders look at the role of religion and the prospects that can be projected through the intervention of the religion in political and social affairs.

A Hong Kong news reported how Ye Xiaowen, the director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, hailed Buddhism's role and capability to break down divisions in the community while at the same time marginalized the abilities of the two other main religion present in the country - Islam and Catholicism, which, according to Ye, can nonetheless 'contribute' in the creation of a harmonious society. But how does one categorize or identify religious developments as they happen? Does one measure religious development by referring to the growth of the population of the faith, or is it just one of the many different ways in identifying religious development?If religious growth in terms of population and number of believers is important, then it is critical that the analysis include the consideration on how religious believers are indeed growing in many parts of Asia. In China, a country that boasts of one of the highest population number in the region, a total of three hundred million people, or 31. 4 percent of the overall respondents that East China Normal University professors Tong Shijun and Liu Zhongyu interviewed for the study

geared in identifying the number of the faithful in China, attested to believing in religion, and that Christianity topped other religions in practice in the country after it continued to improve the number of its followers, from 10 million in the 1990s to 16 million in 2005 to 40 million two years later.Aside from ascertaining the growing number of the faithful, another probable means of looking at religious development is by gauging the impact and role of religion in the present and not so distant society operating inside the different Asian counties. Most of the monotheist religions existing and in practice today are very old religions; as such, there are very little changes that people can expect from the dogmas and practice of the faith that has been observed by generations of faithful religious men and women, since most of these monotheist and dominant religions are also, by nature, traditional and conservative.

In Kyrgyzstan, social changes were introduced because of the role of religion.In the article discussing the blog entries of those who have different opinions about the rise of Islam in the social consciousness of modern day Kyrgyzstan, an Islamic organization was pushing for the observation of the rights of Muslim women to wear their Hijab and for their religion-protected rights to be observed, like the allotment of special inspection areas for Muslim women so that they are not forced to go against their religious beliefs by removing their Hijab in front of unknown males. The movement is gaining ground and making social change, but not everyone in the country seemed to be pleased with the trend of Islamization of the former Russian state.A

Chinese report notes on the consideration of social stability first before any changes or reforms are implemented. The religious development therefore can be seen on how the religion continues to exercise influence in a particular country or community, regardless of the changes in the political landscape (political leaders and their actions that may have directly or indirectly affected religion and the religious movement in the country). This is one way of defining the development of an institution over time.

Today, religions around Asia are still flexing its muscles and continuously remind its followers and its faithful about the importance of religion in everyday life (to some, the consideration of its importance even in the afterlife).Limaye (1999) noted how the practice of Islam in Pakistan extends towards a more active role in domestic politics and how it affects the state of Hindu nationalism in the country, while Pakistan's South East Asian brothers and neighboring countries Malaysia and Indonesia - describes Islam's role in social as well as economic and political affairs of the country as 'shifting' - it should be noted that Islam was critical in Indonesia's turn towards the use of a more democratic form of government. In Thailand two years ago, a multi-faith gathering allowed not just the members of the three most dominant religion in the country - Catholicism, Islam and Buddhism (although not in that particular order) - to re-assess and re-evaluate their importance and their role in the community and in the country in general while government officials as well as community leaders where also on hand to proclaim the religions' role and that is, according to

the news article's title, ???to contribute to a country's development??? (Kowitwanij, 2006).But how can religion really impact the development in the country and define a more particular role and impact aside from broad stroke exultation it receives from mass assessment? The three religious leaders present during the discussion did not make mention of the role or influence of the faith in huge issues like war, corruption and political instability; instead, they opted to focus on the role and impact of religion in a personal level, touching each and every citizen of the country and how the prospering of the teachings and the values of the faith is the key to developing good citizens who will in turn become good leaders of the country. For the local Buddhist leader, the key is the adherence to the traditional role of the faith - influencing positive action through the teachings of the religion.Patriotism and the shying away from materialistic urges and temptations was the core point of the Muslim leader Wisarut Lauwiti who addressed the crowd that reached up to 75,000, while Fr Joseph Phaisal Anamwat who represented the catholic faith reiterated the basic lesson in Christianity - love your neighbors as you love yourself.

Being able to find peace, direction, assurance and contentment is the main non-political pull of religion, and that is why people still adhere to it despite the many changes in an individual???s life. That same faith in one particular individual may serve as a microcosm for the quest to quench political turmoil and social instability and assist it in moving forward by incorporating the use of faith to find a sense of

direction and purpose.If it is indeed a microcosm or a representation of the socially-shared belief, then the 24. percent of the overall Chinese respondents in a religious survey who believed that religion ???shows the true path of life??? is a representation of a greater number of individuals. If this is one of the ruling religious perspectives, then it proves at some extent about how religion is still experiencing religious development and how this development influence social and political areas.

Ye considers the social role of religion as exceeding the fact that it touches everyone in a personal level, and instead focuses on the social role of religion, like its ability to help the people cope with the changes that happens in a particular society, as well as find solace and strength despite the growing level of social unrest, like what is happening in China.But not all of the signs of religious development and the rise of religion-powered political and social movements are passive. Islam is one of the dominant religions in the world, as well as in Asia, since many Asian countries are predominantly Muslims. Observers are noticing how Muslim extremists are using the doctrine and teachings of the religion to wage wars and battle for autonomy and away from government control, a means towards religious influence in social and political changes which is very popular among Muslim extremists and religious militants and is something some Catholic groups are equally known for and something that Buddhism is not popular for.Muslims in the southern provinces of Bangkok are waging a bloody and violent war to effect a particular political change - that is, to completely separate

from the government control of Thailand and instead set up an Islamic state which is independent from Thailand's rule.

During this type of religion-based political uprising, the focus is not just on the battle happening between the government and the rebels, but as well as the showdown of dominant religions when one religion is asserting complete control and dominance over a particular area. This is particularly true in the case of Thailand, since the Muslim terrorists' targeting of not just government establishment but as well as religious sites like areas of Buddhist offices and temples illustrate the intent of the Muslim rebels to free themselves not just of government control but free themselves also of the presence of other types of religion.That maybe something that is very hard to do since very recent statistics show that Muslims living inside Thailand is barely one percent of the overall population, compared to the 94. 8 percent of the population of the country who are Buddhist, while Christians comprise 4 percent of the overall population. Sadly, this religious aggression against other forms of religion in Asia is not just something exclusive to Thailand.

Tedesco noted in his article about the aggression towards Buddhism in South Korea spanning more than a decade from 1982 to 1998, the atrocity versus Buddhism is reflected on the Buddhist temples and shrines which are heavily damaged by acts of arson of anti-Buddhism groups and individuals based in Seoul and in different parts of South Korea.These incidences are some of the many more instances wherein people ask about the ability of the religion to fight back the threats of take over and subjugation; the

Buddhist Thais for now has the government and the police and the military working for their cause, and violence, something that Buddhist doctrine frowns upon, is something they have to beg off from exercising for now. Knowing how to spot religious developments around Asia is one thing; ascertaining its impact on social and political development is another thing. To know this, the question that should be answered is this ??? are religions in Asia influencing social movements as well as political happenings and if so, are these movements and happenings actually pertain to social and political development?Religion and the Social Iron Hand - When signs are leading the observer to believe that religion is becoming a threat to a rule that admonishes overall control, then it can be considered as a sign of religious development; the fight is still alive in the militant and vigilant type of religion that continues to refuse to cower and die quietly into the night at the face of political aggression and suppression. China, a global political power, are still imposing control and monitoring on the different religion that operates in the country.

The country is facing international scrutiny after word got out through the US Commission on international religious freedom about a group of individuals allied with a particular religion and how widespread acts of violence as well as discrimination are directed towards them. China is not alone in the practice of providing a superficial religious freedom for its sovereign in one hand while on the other hand exercises choking pressure on religious groups and practices.Southeast Asian country Vietnam is also among the list of Asian countries guilty of

religious harassment via the monitoring of religious activities and the enforcing of structured religious activities that hamper and affect the free exercise of faith in the country. Like China, Vietnam???s tightening of its grip in religion originates from the fact that is wary of political upheavals and the presence of dissidents which may disrupt the country through the use of religion as a catapult to gain critical mass support. But whether or not this religious actions that lean toward radical and militant behavior can be construed as that which affects a positive impact in social and political development is still a highly debatable topic that can be viewed very differently when seen from the opposing side of the perspective.

Some may hint that such religious development would not foster social and political growth, while others think that this is necessary. China, for its part, admitted actively curtailing the freedom of the faithful in the belief that religion may provide the groundwork which the people can use to unite and fight against what is considered as a very troublesome political landscape existing in the country. The Chinese government officials fear that religion is influential and powerful enough for the opposition to use to gain the upper hand in public governance and policy making, and that is why they are making every effort to cripple religion and not risk finding out that their assumptions about the true power of religion, at the end, is true.But on the flip side, the state of religion in China maybe considered as inappropriate since religion in this particular country and the practice of it has become the avenue for corruption by local

government officials to which religious leaders are not powerful enough to address or put a stop to. Cervellera (2004) reports about how the local authorities tasked with the responsibilities of overseeing affairs of the religion and granting the permit to exercise faith have utilized this particular power 'to expropriate property', to impose taxes on the citizens, to expropriate and even to make arrests even when the basis of such arrest is the personal view and opinion of local leaders.

Country???s interest first ??? For all the popularity the different religion is gaining all over Asia, still, one can put a hint of doubt towards its real ability as social and political mover and question its true state of religious development. China's Ji Wenyuan, according to a news report, discussed about the nature of religion in China and its exact place in the order of things in the country, pointing out that in the end, 'the needs of state came before those of religions' (2004). This is putting things mildly, as the shackled religions in the country may not have enough room to maneuver and execute the steps towards religious development since the different religious groups, according to the news report, 'must acknowledge the supremacy of the Communist Party' (2004).Religious development and the religion???s faces in Asia ??? Sullivan (TIME, 2006) wrote about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, and how this Muslim leader who is beset with political problems find tranquility in his life and direction for his leadership of the country which has not been very popular in the west through religion, as Sullivan notes how Ahmadinejad has placed all of his personal

and political cares in the 'arms of God' (Sullivan, 2006). But while some analysts may construe the activities of the religions around the world as a sign of the upward mobility of religions and their continued presence in social and political movements, the same cannot be said about different influential leaders in Asia's religious circles.

For one, the Tibetan Buddhism leader Dalai Lama, despite his popularity, was not able to make a more active move for Tibet and for much needed social reforms (understandably so, because of the restrictions imposed by the religion itself). Despite the passive stance of the Dalai Lama and the absence of an active move towards change and reform, he is still considered by China who is someone capable of influencing such change and ergo a dangerous enemy for the local government. In the Philippines today, a predominantly Catholic archipelagic country, religion as a fiber of the everyday way of life holds its specific territory in the lives of the Catholics, but the social impact it once had was reduced to merely affecting religion-based holidays like the Christmas and Holy Week.People are roused and pulled to the streets not because of the political strength it once displayed when it was one of the factors that toppled the nearly three decades of authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos in the fabled bloodless revolution called the EDSA Revolution, but because fanatics are still lured to the traditional practice of overtly showing their faith through parades and processions and other acts of devotion, like how throngs of people gather at a Manila church, particularly in Quiapo, to celebrate the feast of the Black Nazarene

every January 9. That is pretty much the role of religion in the country today, subsiding to almost lukewarm especially when the former Manila archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin ??? the most popular religious leader in the country with an equally large political clout ??? died and was succeeded by successors who are less visible, politically. Religion-powered social change stopped when Sin disappeared from the scene.Bibliographyhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/2690495.stmhttp://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=5887http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=2151http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=1756