What was the motivation? I mused
that if Batswana succumbed to the idea of a Christian instead of a secular
state, we would sooner have another MP suggesting that we have a
Catholic/Anglican/Methodist/ZCC state. Botswana is a land of many religions and
denominations and each sect basically wishes to dominate the religious circuit.
All and each one of us wishes to project a peculiar image. Human nature?
The constitution of Botswana doesn’t
have a section which defines Botswana as a secular state in a nutshell. The
wording of Section 11 (1) is explicit however. It reads:
“Except with his or
her own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her
freedom of conscience, and for the purpose of this section the said freedom
includes freedom of thought and of religion or belief, freedom to change his or
her religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others,
and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his or her
religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice or observance. …”
Thus in the few words, does the
constitution teach us that Botswana is a secular and not a religiously
blinkered state, committed to any one faith. All modern democratic states
presumably have corresponding constitutional provision, consistent with the
essence of valid democracy, which by definition is multiparty and tolerant to a
diversity of views as opposed to a one-party state, dictatorial and intolerant
to other beliefs or viewpoints! Any Motswana with a mind to have Botswana as a
‘Christian’ state doesn’t appreciate in the least, the importance of the
tolerance ingrained in the concept of democratic dispensation. Batswana
Christians should be flattered that the country though a de jure state is, all
said and done a de facto Christian state, in terms of everyday practice.
One often wonders, why other religious sects never complain about the
pervasiveness of Christian rituals in the conduct of government and community
practice. Legislative Assembly sittings are opened by a Christian prayer, so
are communal gatherings. Seldom do we hear Islamic, Buddhist nor any other
religious intercession in mixed gatherings. When we learn of Boko Haram acts of
terrorism in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, Al Shaabab in Somalia, ISIS in
Syria and the Levant to establish Islamic states, what do those who prefer a
Christian state think? Don’t they cringe from a feeling of being soul
brothers/sisters with Boko Haram, the terrorist bunch?
I am convinced, when we hear/read of
groups fighting or worse, engaging in terrorism to achieve religious
exclusiveness, we must be repelled by the objectives of these fanatics,
unless we are insane. To embrace
Christian rather than a secular state, is an unwitting support of Al Qaeda
groups, who believe all non-Muslims are infidels, deserving death. Terrorism
and religious fundamentalism dehumanizes and makes all of us lesser
humans. We have already a surfeit of terrorism without introducing new and more
complications to fuel the cauldron of human relations. Human society is fragile
and divided already. Stratifying nations and humanity further, in religious
compartments of beliefs, may only help to multiply the woes that already
bedevil human relations.
Those who don’t believe Botswana is
a de facto Christian state must pause and think of the many public
holidays reflective and synchronized with Christian events in our calendar. I
sometimes wonder why the other religions haven’t yet protested and complained
that the state is prejudiced against them and in favour of their Christian
rivals: None can dispute that most of the paid holidays in the country are
unambiguously Christian in form and content, deliberately designed to salute
and hoist the Christian flag above all other flags in ecclesiastical affairs.
Christmas, commemorates the birth of
Jesus Christ. It’s a paid holiday. Even the capitalistic atheist is by law
compelled to pay the workers the company normally exploits, not for work done
but for being in the company’s payroll in a de facto Christian state! Boxing
Day, is set aside for exchange of presents in the Christian spirit. Since,
Christian adherents are in the majority in Botswana, the ‘minority’ religions
are overwhelmed to the extent that Christians are virtually coercing and
arm-twisting the non-Christians to adopt Christian rituals, if not the faith,
since we expect non-Christian fellow-citizens to participate actively by
sharing in the Christmas merriment, through exchange of presents and goodwill!
Good Friday, follows to commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Easter, to mark his resurrection and the Ascension Day, 40 days after the
resurrection to celebrate the triumph of Christ over earthly woes.
Public holidays compete neck and
neck and run parallel to the few days which may be defined strictly as
secular: Independence Day, President Day, Workers Day, etc. What more do
we need to reflect the image of the Christian state we yearn for? The mere
naming of Botswana as a Christian state won’t make Botswana more Christian than
she is. More important for us, as Batswana, is patriotism: Loving one another,
sharing the country’s wealth equitably, working hard to ensure a prosperous and
peaceful future for our children by renouncing, corruption, greed,
racism/tribalism, the PHD syndrome and all the abundant selfishness that rules
us and blight our human relations!
What
was the motivation? I mused that if Batswana succumbed to the idea of a
Christian instead of a secular state, we would sooner have another MP
suggesting that we have a Catholic/Anglican/Methodist/ZCC state.
Botswana is a land of many religions and denominations and each sect
basically wishes to dominate the religious circuit. All and each one of
us wishes to project a peculiar image. Human nature?
The constitution of Botswana doesn’t have a section which defines Botswana as a secular state in a nutshell. The wording of Section 11 (1) is explicit however. It reads: “Except with his or her own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of conscience, and for the purpose of this section the said freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion or belief, freedom to change his or her religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his or her religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice or observance. …”
Thus in the few words, does the constitution teach us that Botswana is a secular and not a religiously blinkered state, committed to any one faith. All modern democratic states presumably have corresponding constitutional provision, consistent with the essence of valid democracy, which by definition is multiparty and tolerant to a diversity of views as opposed to a one-party state, dictatorial and intolerant to other beliefs or viewpoints! Any Motswana with a mind to have Botswana as a ‘Christian’ state doesn’t appreciate in the least, the importance of the tolerance ingrained in the concept of democratic dispensation. Batswana Christians should be flattered that the country though a de jure state is, all said and done a de facto Christian state, in terms of everyday practice. One often wonders, why other religious sects never complain about the pervasiveness of Christian rituals in the conduct of government and community practice. Legislative Assembly sittings are opened by a Christian prayer, so are communal gatherings. Seldom do we hear Islamic, Buddhist nor any other religious intercession in mixed gatherings. When we learn of Boko Haram acts of terrorism in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, Al Shaabab in Somalia, ISIS in Syria and the Levant to establish Islamic states, what do those who prefer a Christian state think? Don’t they cringe from a feeling of being soul brothers/sisters with Boko Haram, the terrorist bunch?
I am convinced, when we hear/read of groups fighting or worse, engaging in terrorism to achieve religious exclusiveness, we must be repelled by the objectives of these fanatics,
Christmas, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s a paid holiday. Even the capitalistic atheist is by law compelled to pay the workers the company normally exploits, not for work done but for being in the company’s payroll in a de facto Christian state! Boxing Day, is set aside for exchange of presents in the Christian spirit. Since, Christian adherents are in the majority in Botswana, the ‘minority’ religions are overwhelmed to the extent that Christians are virtually coercing and arm-twisting the non-Christians to adopt Christian rituals, if not the faith, since we expect non-Christian fellow-citizens to participate actively by sharing in the Christmas merriment, through exchange of presents and goodwill! Good Friday, follows to commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ; Easter, to mark his resurrection and the Ascension Day, 40 days after the resurrection to celebrate the triumph of Christ over earthly woes.
Public holidays compete neck and neck and run parallel to the few days which may be defined strictly as secular: Independence Day, President Day, Workers Day, etc. What more do we need to reflect the image of the Christian state we yearn for? The mere naming of Botswana as a Christian state won’t make Botswana more Christian than she is. More important for us, as Batswana, is patriotism: Loving one another, sharing the country’s wealth equitably, working hard to ensure a prosperous and peaceful future for our children by renouncing, corruption, greed, racism/tribalism, the PHD syndrome and all the abundant selfishness that rules us and blight our human relations!
- See more at: http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=57070&dir=2016/january/19#sthash.koDuGnXd.dpuf
The constitution of Botswana doesn’t have a section which defines Botswana as a secular state in a nutshell. The wording of Section 11 (1) is explicit however. It reads: “Except with his or her own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of conscience, and for the purpose of this section the said freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion or belief, freedom to change his or her religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his or her religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice or observance. …”
Thus in the few words, does the constitution teach us that Botswana is a secular and not a religiously blinkered state, committed to any one faith. All modern democratic states presumably have corresponding constitutional provision, consistent with the essence of valid democracy, which by definition is multiparty and tolerant to a diversity of views as opposed to a one-party state, dictatorial and intolerant to other beliefs or viewpoints! Any Motswana with a mind to have Botswana as a ‘Christian’ state doesn’t appreciate in the least, the importance of the tolerance ingrained in the concept of democratic dispensation. Batswana Christians should be flattered that the country though a de jure state is, all said and done a de facto Christian state, in terms of everyday practice. One often wonders, why other religious sects never complain about the pervasiveness of Christian rituals in the conduct of government and community practice. Legislative Assembly sittings are opened by a Christian prayer, so are communal gatherings. Seldom do we hear Islamic, Buddhist nor any other religious intercession in mixed gatherings. When we learn of Boko Haram acts of terrorism in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, Al Shaabab in Somalia, ISIS in Syria and the Levant to establish Islamic states, what do those who prefer a Christian state think? Don’t they cringe from a feeling of being soul brothers/sisters with Boko Haram, the terrorist bunch?
I am convinced, when we hear/read of groups fighting or worse, engaging in terrorism to achieve religious exclusiveness, we must be repelled by the objectives of these fanatics,
unless we are insane. To embrace Christian rather than a
secular state, is an unwitting support of Al Qaeda groups, who believe
all non-Muslims are infidels, deserving death. Terrorism and religious
fundamentalism dehumanizes and makes all of us lesser humans. We have
already a surfeit of terrorism without introducing new and more
complications to fuel the cauldron of human relations. Human society is
fragile and divided already. Stratifying nations and humanity further,
in religious compartments of beliefs, may only help to multiply the woes
that already bedevil human relations.
Those who don’t believe Botswana is a de facto Christian state must
pause and think of the many public holidays reflective and
synchronized with Christian events in our calendar. I sometimes wonder
why the other religions haven’t yet protested and complained that the
state is prejudiced against them and in favour of their Christian
rivals: None can dispute that most of the paid holidays in the country
are unambiguously Christian in form and content, deliberately designed
to salute and hoist the Christian flag above all other flags in
ecclesiastical affairs.Christmas, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s a paid holiday. Even the capitalistic atheist is by law compelled to pay the workers the company normally exploits, not for work done but for being in the company’s payroll in a de facto Christian state! Boxing Day, is set aside for exchange of presents in the Christian spirit. Since, Christian adherents are in the majority in Botswana, the ‘minority’ religions are overwhelmed to the extent that Christians are virtually coercing and arm-twisting the non-Christians to adopt Christian rituals, if not the faith, since we expect non-Christian fellow-citizens to participate actively by sharing in the Christmas merriment, through exchange of presents and goodwill! Good Friday, follows to commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ; Easter, to mark his resurrection and the Ascension Day, 40 days after the resurrection to celebrate the triumph of Christ over earthly woes.
Public holidays compete neck and neck and run parallel to the few days which may be defined strictly as secular: Independence Day, President Day, Workers Day, etc. What more do we need to reflect the image of the Christian state we yearn for? The mere naming of Botswana as a Christian state won’t make Botswana more Christian than she is. More important for us, as Batswana, is patriotism: Loving one another, sharing the country’s wealth equitably, working hard to ensure a prosperous and peaceful future for our children by renouncing, corruption, greed, racism/tribalism, the PHD syndrome and all the abundant selfishness that rules us and blight our human relations!
- See more at: http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=57070&dir=2016/january/19#sthash.koDuGnXd.dpuf
What
was the motivation? I mused that if Batswana succumbed to the idea of a
Christian instead of a secular state, we would sooner have another MP
suggesting that we have a Catholic/Anglican/Methodist/ZCC state.
Botswana is a land of many religions and denominations and each sect
basically wishes to dominate the religious circuit. All and each one of
us wishes to project a peculiar image. Human nature?
The constitution of Botswana doesn’t have a section which defines Botswana as a secular state in a nutshell. The wording of Section 11 (1) is explicit however. It reads: “Except with his or her own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of conscience, and for the purpose of this section the said freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion or belief, freedom to change his or her religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his or her religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice or observance. …”
Thus in the few words, does the constitution teach us that Botswana is a secular and not a religiously blinkered state, committed to any one faith. All modern democratic states presumably have corresponding constitutional provision, consistent with the essence of valid democracy, which by definition is multiparty and tolerant to a diversity of views as opposed to a one-party state, dictatorial and intolerant to other beliefs or viewpoints! Any Motswana with a mind to have Botswana as a ‘Christian’ state doesn’t appreciate in the least, the importance of the tolerance ingrained in the concept of democratic dispensation. Batswana Christians should be flattered that the country though a de jure state is, all said and done a de facto Christian state, in terms of everyday practice. One often wonders, why other religious sects never complain about the pervasiveness of Christian rituals in the conduct of government and community practice. Legislative Assembly sittings are opened by a Christian prayer, so are communal gatherings. Seldom do we hear Islamic, Buddhist nor any other religious intercession in mixed gatherings. When we learn of Boko Haram acts of terrorism in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, Al Shaabab in Somalia, ISIS in Syria and the Levant to establish Islamic states, what do those who prefer a Christian state think? Don’t they cringe from a feeling of being soul brothers/sisters with Boko Haram, the terrorist bunch?
I am convinced, when we hear/read of groups fighting or worse, engaging in terrorism to achieve religious exclusiveness, we must be repelled by the objectives of these fanatics,
Christmas, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s a paid holiday. Even the capitalistic atheist is by law compelled to pay the workers the company normally exploits, not for work done but for being in the company’s payroll in a de facto Christian state! Boxing Day, is set aside for exchange of presents in the Christian spirit. Since, Christian adherents are in the majority in Botswana, the ‘minority’ religions are overwhelmed to the extent that Christians are virtually coercing and arm-twisting the non-Christians to adopt Christian rituals, if not the faith, since we expect non-Christian fellow-citizens to participate actively by sharing in the Christmas merriment, through exchange of presents and goodwill! Good Friday, follows to commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ; Easter, to mark his resurrection and the Ascension Day, 40 days after the resurrection to celebrate the triumph of Christ over earthly woes.
Public holidays compete neck and neck and run parallel to the few days which may be defined strictly as secular: Independence Day, President Day, Workers Day, etc. What more do we need to reflect the image of the Christian state we yearn for? The mere naming of Botswana as a Christian state won’t make Botswana more Christian than she is. More important for us, as Batswana, is patriotism: Loving one another, sharing the country’s wealth equitably, working hard to ensure a prosperous and peaceful future for our children by renouncing, corruption, greed, racism/tribalism, the PHD syndrome and all the abundant selfishness that rules us and blight our human relations!
- See more at: http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=57070&dir=2016/january/19#sthash.koDuGnXd.dpuf
The constitution of Botswana doesn’t have a section which defines Botswana as a secular state in a nutshell. The wording of Section 11 (1) is explicit however. It reads: “Except with his or her own consent, no person shall be hindered in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of conscience, and for the purpose of this section the said freedom includes freedom of thought and of religion or belief, freedom to change his or her religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others, and both in public and in private, to manifest and propagate his or her religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice or observance. …”
Thus in the few words, does the constitution teach us that Botswana is a secular and not a religiously blinkered state, committed to any one faith. All modern democratic states presumably have corresponding constitutional provision, consistent with the essence of valid democracy, which by definition is multiparty and tolerant to a diversity of views as opposed to a one-party state, dictatorial and intolerant to other beliefs or viewpoints! Any Motswana with a mind to have Botswana as a ‘Christian’ state doesn’t appreciate in the least, the importance of the tolerance ingrained in the concept of democratic dispensation. Batswana Christians should be flattered that the country though a de jure state is, all said and done a de facto Christian state, in terms of everyday practice. One often wonders, why other religious sects never complain about the pervasiveness of Christian rituals in the conduct of government and community practice. Legislative Assembly sittings are opened by a Christian prayer, so are communal gatherings. Seldom do we hear Islamic, Buddhist nor any other religious intercession in mixed gatherings. When we learn of Boko Haram acts of terrorism in Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad, Al Shaabab in Somalia, ISIS in Syria and the Levant to establish Islamic states, what do those who prefer a Christian state think? Don’t they cringe from a feeling of being soul brothers/sisters with Boko Haram, the terrorist bunch?
I am convinced, when we hear/read of groups fighting or worse, engaging in terrorism to achieve religious exclusiveness, we must be repelled by the objectives of these fanatics,
unless we are insane. To embrace Christian rather than a
secular state, is an unwitting support of Al Qaeda groups, who believe
all non-Muslims are infidels, deserving death. Terrorism and religious
fundamentalism dehumanizes and makes all of us lesser humans. We have
already a surfeit of terrorism without introducing new and more
complications to fuel the cauldron of human relations. Human society is
fragile and divided already. Stratifying nations and humanity further,
in religious compartments of beliefs, may only help to multiply the woes
that already bedevil human relations.
Those who don’t believe Botswana is a de facto Christian state must
pause and think of the many public holidays reflective and
synchronized with Christian events in our calendar. I sometimes wonder
why the other religions haven’t yet protested and complained that the
state is prejudiced against them and in favour of their Christian
rivals: None can dispute that most of the paid holidays in the country
are unambiguously Christian in form and content, deliberately designed
to salute and hoist the Christian flag above all other flags in
ecclesiastical affairs.Christmas, commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s a paid holiday. Even the capitalistic atheist is by law compelled to pay the workers the company normally exploits, not for work done but for being in the company’s payroll in a de facto Christian state! Boxing Day, is set aside for exchange of presents in the Christian spirit. Since, Christian adherents are in the majority in Botswana, the ‘minority’ religions are overwhelmed to the extent that Christians are virtually coercing and arm-twisting the non-Christians to adopt Christian rituals, if not the faith, since we expect non-Christian fellow-citizens to participate actively by sharing in the Christmas merriment, through exchange of presents and goodwill! Good Friday, follows to commemorate the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ; Easter, to mark his resurrection and the Ascension Day, 40 days after the resurrection to celebrate the triumph of Christ over earthly woes.
Public holidays compete neck and neck and run parallel to the few days which may be defined strictly as secular: Independence Day, President Day, Workers Day, etc. What more do we need to reflect the image of the Christian state we yearn for? The mere naming of Botswana as a Christian state won’t make Botswana more Christian than she is. More important for us, as Batswana, is patriotism: Loving one another, sharing the country’s wealth equitably, working hard to ensure a prosperous and peaceful future for our children by renouncing, corruption, greed, racism/tribalism, the PHD syndrome and all the abundant selfishness that rules us and blight our human relations!
- See more at: http://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=57070&dir=2016/january/19#sthash.koDuGnXd.dpuf
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