The well-springs of extremism

The 'promised land' was not to be. Yes, the much looked forward to post-colonial state fell short of what was expected leaving its citizenry to much chaos and disarray. Of course the delight of the 'lowly' in their newly found niches - seemingly the only welcome feature. Class and identity politics that followed fostered more of non-egalitarianism, inequity and injustice of a perceived nature than even the caste-driven feudalistic pre-colonial state, as some would have it.

Interestingly, Europe and India having realised this growing disenchantment with the State and is steadily diffusing the high powered centre as is evident in the European Union's establishment and the highly pro-active civil society emerging from within India's fold.

When King Henry VIII triggered off the trinity of the state - of God, King and Country - he perhaps was not without realisation of seeding future damaging experiences worldwide. The Church of England's acceptance during the reformation of royal supremacy - a union of Church and State - was not without its fair share of dissent coming off home territory-of Baptists, independents, Presbyterians, Methodists and some others who in one voice denounced the nation state concept as against God - salvation and secularism being two different entities.

What the new Christians wanted was salvation through religion in society.

Thus was born 'religious secularism' if one may call it - a malaise that entrenched the world in the centuries that followed into a dilemma - a disastrous brink.

That Henry VIII's vision of a nation state with its tripod zeal of God, King and Country could impact post-colonial states into strife with its accompanying ills coming off class and identity politics is no surprise. Certainly nation state criers would cease to be if not for Henry VIII.

Widely known for his notoriety he perhaps intended justification for all his 'secular evils' and for this he could find no better tool other than religion. The 'religious imperative' he saw, thus became a facade for whatever he thought was the secular imperative.

What followed was a neat system lay out internationally with a high powered centre - a secular ethos with widespread discontent - firstly of class and now of identity. Ever since the nation state establishment we see the numerous secular wars being fought with religion getting caught up in the mess - notwithstanding religion's great distancing from secularism.

The Western Christian crusaders that waged wars into homogenising culture, the American belief in nationalism, zionism, the religions of Abraham and the democratic set up when contextualised within the secular ethos devoid of civility, certainly are part of fundamentalism which in turn gives rise to marginalisation and militancy.

Ironically fundamentalism arising out of any or all of the above is not seen as such and instead point the accusing finger at some other entity.

According to Shils, a democratic set up should treat others as fellow citizens of equal dignity in their rights and obligations.

"As members of civil society it essentially means treating others including adversaries and detractors as members of the same collectivity even though they believe in different political persuasions, religions or ethnic communities where interests run counter to those of yours."

These words brought to columnist's mind how any society that digresses from the above is basically into fundamentalism. More importantly and interestingly is this label tagged on only to one particular religious group presenting Islam as demonic.

That modernism gave rise to fundamentalism can be pursued.

Modernity itself was positive until it transformed into modernism followed by fundamentalism - the nation state itself an outcome of modernity misconstrued. Henry VIII thus ranks right on top on the subject of fundamentalism.

Picking up from where he left, the rest of human history - of power, aggrandizement, wars, bloodshed and tears - was all a collective effort of a fundamentalist mindset which though conveniently overlooked, is very apparent.

Contemporary secular/religious fundamentalism is in no way compatible with salvation and the sooner its realisation, the speedier our way out of irrational, emotional self-serving sentiment. Against this backdrop it brings to columnist's mind Carron Armstrong, a nun turned laywoman when interviewed by BBC London who spoke of creating correct political conditions to project religion.

Hate spring from fear, hopelessness and depression. "Not only weapons of mass destruction, more importantly what's going on in people's mind should be attended to," she said. This reflects and embodies enlightened thinking.

However, there's more to it in what the Grand Mufti of Egypt expressed. Considering fundamentalism, secularism, religion and salvation - the bane of human existence - the Mufti couldn't have performed any better. He said:

"I saw Muslims in Paris but no Islam and I see Islam in Egypt but no Muslims."