Comments on: Eating Crow

By: Turgai Sangar

Turgai Sangar — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:50:34 +0000

Marx was right in part of his analysis and I also back his quest social justice. However, the rejection of God, the Prophets and their key message of social justice led to utter failure.

BTW, congratulations to all with the birthday of Jesus/Isa Ben Maryam (pbuH)! May the new upcoming year also bring the downfall of the Karimovs.

By: Oldschool Boy

Oldschool Boy — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:43:04 +0000

By the way, how can freedom of religion and belief be restricted?
As far as I know, anybody can believe in anything. Have they already invented a mind control device in Kazakhstan. I thought that would first be invented in a more scientifically and technologically advanced country.

By: Oldschool Boy

Oldschool Boy — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:26:23 +0000

Although religion and state are proclaimed separate, the Government of Kazakhstan has always been trying to control religion. An example is current mufti of Kazakhstan Derbisali. Before his appointment by Nazarbayev he had been a scholar, a professor of Asian Studies in the Kazakh National State University and a vice-president of the university. I think similarly heads of the Russian Chirch in Kazakhstan if not presidential appointees are somehow reporting to the Government, most probably to the National Security Committee (KNB).
I guess the approach is simple here, if the State can not control a confession it will simply prohibit it.
I do not think President will reject the law. By the way, vast majority of people in Kazakhstan would support it. The people are too affraid of extremist organizations like Al-Quaeda to care much about the religious freedom. Besides, the new law does not relally restrict the existing religions, as far as I understand. So who cares?

By: Matthew

Matthew — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 06:34:10 +0000

This law only codifies what has been happening for a number of years. Kazakhstan is returning to a Soviet-style of governance in several spheres, including religion. Though Kazakhstan’s religious establishments were initially more liberal than their Soviet predecessors, they have recently returned to the standards and practices of the Soviet era. This was happening before the country was awarded the OSCE chairmanship. The logic behind giving them the chairmanship (which, I believe, was that such a ‘reward’ would encourage/force them to liberalize) is as faulty now as when it was used to give China the 2008 Olympics, and will have similar (non)results.

By: Oldschool Boy

Oldschool Boy — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 05:46:47 +0000

Real freedom of religion is freedom from any religion.

“Religion is opium for people” Karl Marx