The Hindu : Humanists urged to fight religious forces

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

Humanists urged to fight religious forces

VIJAYAWADA, JAN. 10. The time has come for humanists across the world to become socially and politically active and wage a united war against religious forces as they are anti-development, said Larry Jones, vice-president of International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU), United States of America.

Speaking at a meet on "Significance of Humanist Action", organised by the Atheist Centre, Vijayawada, Mr. Jones pointed out that religious fundamentalism prevailed everywhere across the world. "It is for we humanists to oppose it tooth and nail. This could be done by expanding our network and gather more like-minded people'', he opined.

]He said in the US, religious fundamentalists are very active. "We opposed the Catholic dogma and succeeded to a great extent. Even though it is a gigantic task, humanists in US are trying to influence the legislations''.

Almost 60 per cent of the Government funding is done by religious organisations, he pointed out warning "we cannot afford to relax even for a moment for the `opposition' is politically active and well-funded."

Babu Gogineni, executive director of IHEU, London, criticised the concept of globalisation and issues like `politicisation of Islam'. Globalisation is focussing only on expansion of markets while completely ignoring democratic norms, he lamented.

Reiterating that humanism should be useful in building a healthy society, he said this is possible only when freedom, liberty, fraternity and equality become the order of the day.

"Achievements of `some' should become achievements of `all'.

He dwelt at length on various other issues like the jogin system which he said was nothing but `religious prostitution'.

Speaking about political parties and organisations like the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he said they had an organised agenda but it was `casteist'. "Let us also have a humanist agenda on the same lines to get rid of the `superstitions' and `fearsome traditions'.

Refusing to give credit to the Governments of the nations for the development achieved, he asserted, "achievement of today's world is due to the great revolution of ideas''.

Mr. Gogineni brought along himself the correspondent of Time magazine Andrew Marshall, and photographer, Patrick Brown, to showcase the humanist activities taking place across the country. Wincent Lloyd, a post-graduate from University of California, attended the meet.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh

News Update

Stories in this Section

Humanists urged to fight religious forces

Seven held in triple murder case

Eye-witness seeks protection

TDP refutes CPI(M) charge on privatising medicare

CPI(M) demands tankbed land for the poor

`Safe drinking water key to good health'

Around the City