What does it mean to be a citizen of a country? Simply to live within its borders, or perhaps that one must hold certain civic values regardless of one’s faith?
A teacher at Londonderry Junior School in Edmonton, Alberta chastised a student who happens to be Muslim. The student(s) did not want to be involved in LGBTQ Pride events, having been taught by their parents and Mullahs that being a member of such a group(LGBTQ) or celebrating what is seen as “sinful before God” is not acceptable and should be denounced and at the very least not celebrated, Isolating yourself from sinful people or events.
The teacher is taped chastising these students, claiming their actions are homophobic and that “they do not belong” in Canada. Mentioning that many non-Muslim students were involved in Muslim Ramadan celebrations, presenting a tit-for-tat situation. Non-Muslims showed respect for Muslim Students’ traditions, yet these Muslim students did not want to return the gesture of interest.
Seen as an exchange of interests, the teacher and his supporters said such things as “We believe in freedom, that people can marry whom they wish to marry, and not hide a person’s appearance under some cloth, the law dictates in Canada”. Well, surely the school board responded quickly, disavowing any support for what the teacher said and did, separating itself from every potentially damaging event. They are investigating the situation presently.
What has risen is the lack of understanding of what religion is, its place within society, and how certain faiths are more fundamental and rigid than others. Also, what are the rights of teachers, and their self-expression in and outside of classes?
Religion: An expression of faith in a deity or God.
Place in Society: For many religions, faith is a lived everyday expression much a part of followers’ lives.
Religious Faith: Some religions allow for self-expression of one’s faith, and how and why it is expressed. Other faiths are more rigid, following the dictates of a sacred book, and religious-cultural traditions, unwavering, and unyielding in manner and expression.
Individual Rights: For both the teacher and his students their individual rights of expression are managed by the school board protocol in the case of a teacher, and for the students by religion and parental guidance.
This challenge between secular VS Religious has been with us seemingly forever. This challenge between Church and State is the reason Quebec brought in laws secularizing their property and employees while on the job. No visible religious garbs, identifiers, or religious expressions. Conflict between religious faiths has always been a possibility, so take the “religious” out of the workplace, and peace may be maintained and managed.
Of course, this cannot be done within a democracy. Religious self-expression is protected by the government, even if it tries to manage it. Certain Faiths, such as Roman Catholic, Muslim, and Judaic dictate the garb and religion of their followers.
Multiple religious organizations are challenging school boards, teacher associations, and independent people demanding an end to school and organization policies that are open to and encourage celebrations of certain portions of the population deemed unacceptable at the least, sinful and criminal at the worst. Catholic, Muslim, Christian Churches, Hasidic Jewish, and Hindu Organizations are seeking their own religious school boards and schools, allowing them to segregate their students from the outside world. Equality means something different to these people. Equality means they can experience, use and live freely while controlling and isolating themselves from others, a re-ghettoing process. Entire communities in Western America and Canada have been basically taken over by the large population of whichever religious group is there, controlling municipal government, establishing sharia law (hidden most times), and managing their schools as they see fit.
Religion demands much from the individual demanding ministry, recruitment of followers, self-discipline, and denial of the world in many ways. This religious pilgrimage process has moved from the individual towards the lived world, demanding followers to expand and protect their communities from worldly influences such as the media, competing religions and ideologies, and social, sexual, and gender politics.
Religion is a uniting force within small groups of followers, but outside of this controlled environment, religion has been a historical wave and source of division, war, and prejudice. How can it be anything else? Religions say they have the answer, and they are the chosen people of their deity. Such determination demands tunnel vision, judgmental attitudes, unwavering dedication, and self-exclusion from humanity as a whole. Religion supports “The Capitalistic Economic System” mostly because it is just like this concept, competitive, searching for profit(souls & $), power managing and power hungry, and cultish. Religion is a form of control, liberating the believer while oppressing them through religious dictates, theology, and Religious-cultural traditions all based upon the follower’s sinfulness through their daily actions and sinful(human) nature.
Adding to the confusion and tension are elements such as postcolonial intrusions within the state government departments in the Caribbean. The Islands of the Caribbean have within them multiple challenges, such as right-wing influences coming from aggressive Christian, Hindu, and Muslim Organizations. Small communities are ravaged by competing religious movements. Hindu Based Citizens in Trinidad & Tobago compete politically with Christian right Black Organizations for the top job within the nation. Bad Blood among various religious-influenced organizations has led to violence, corruption, and misrepresentation. Religion within various parts of the community becomes a unifying force hurled at their opposition. Religious-political postcolonial forces still seem to manage these Island’s educational, judicial, and Governmental Institutions. What existed in the 50’s still exists today.
Southern US politics fall upon the influential arm of religious organizations, prepared to protest in mass to get their preferred policies implemented. You can see this happening in Georgia, Texas, and beyond, religion once separated from The State, now of prime importance, eliciting fear and devotion from legislators everywhere.
Religion has been militarized in the past, but now it is weaponized by all who seek its favor, ready to use the hammer of religion for the benefit of the various Churches, Temples, and mosques and those who selfishly purport to support these Religious Institutions.
Back to the initial issue. Can religion be taught and discussed in schools without creating tension? Does religion have a place in schools and other public places? What do you think?
Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca
