What is secularism?

[zubin]

Can anyone...

• define secularism
• give an example of a secular society
• explain how it works

I want to see if the concept has any real meaning or is simply dogmatic... perhaps there is something about it that makes sense, but what? And if its a flawed or weak concept, perhaps it paves the way for better ideals and concepts...

Just a note that this is a purely academic question here, no intention to take sides...

[donsaeid]

a secular state in my eye is a state that its policies havnt been influenced by Religioues guildlines or being influenced!

Moral and Ethic and human sense rules instead of word of God or Budda or whatever!

no religions are funded by state!
no religions are favored in state, by state and in public areas!
all religions are free unless they threaten other religion or its secularism!
+++++

Turkey!? in some senses!

France?

Sweden?

[zubin]

does it work?

especially, do you think it makes religious people unsatisfied to live in, or isolated? maybe there is a way to include some religions into the democratic process. to take them out completely is very undemocratic, don't you think? they are not even represented or considered equal. but is very biased and discriminatory.

I think this is a problem, maybe for not being clear and using the right language to acheive the goals you named. Maybe there is different concept that achieves those goals...

[mike435]

Can anyone...

• define secularism
• give an example of a secular society
• explain how it works

I want to see if the concept has any real meaning or is simply dogmatic... perhaps there is something about it that makes sense, but what? And if its a flawed or weak concept, perhaps it paves the way for better ideals and concepts...

Just a note that this is a purely academic question here, no intention to take sides...

secularism is a system that is totally objective totally oblivious to any religious or traditional influence.

there is no secular state, closes thing to a secular practicing system might be the class room like a biology or finance class.

I dont think it is practical, in order for secularism to function you need absolute control and you need need to be proactive. Because people are not objective, and day to day life is not objective.
In order to have a secular system work you need to be especially prejudice towards being objective. (but than are you still objective)

The reason i believe absolute secularism would not work is becuase every aspect of our society is influenced by something, in the west judeo-Christian values and the east Islam, Confucianism, buddah and etc.

Non the less i defiantly do believe that every society should strive to be secular, this way, it will balance the prejudice nature of a non secular system. Also i think having that gole of reaching a secular state created a neutral system with an accent of a non secular system example the United States, in the west, and Turkey in the east.