spidergawd wrote:Edit : This outlines the problem of Religious Law on secular communities. However, i dont think the Secular Swat region is common of the Afghanistan community as a whole.
I'm no historian man but I dont know if the many different people in Afganistan have had much of a chance to even consider the benefits of secularism, certainly not in recent times anyway. I think we are maybe using the wrong words in this discussion. For instance Democracy, a very badly used word in many contexts, pluralism is what best works for me, the freedom to be and to think and the space to articulate openly what you are thinking if you want and of course their are many types of repressive regimes that wont allow this. I think also, if you dont mind me saying that these discussions often reduce the human component to an amorphos mass, and I know you dont think that, but I cant help thinking that given the opportunity loads of people in Afganistan and lots of other screwed up places, just want a nice little house, a nice little car, a couple of kids, a good school to send them to and a job to pay for it. OK a bit simple I know, but most peoples aspirations are in my experience. The kids man, some of them just wanna watch a bit of the X Factor or something and get on down on a saturday night with
MEMBERS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX just like us. Shouldn't we give them some help and encouragement to do that? Maybe they would like the chance to join the ACD and big it up in the Dam, I dont know I'm stoned. Take care Prof. Keep reading them books man you've got a good heart if you don't mind me saying

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Peace Spider[/quote]
Yo SG. I think you are maybe right, many people don't really consider Secularized society because of the reward punishment concept assiociated mainly with Judo-Christian theology. Often this theology evoles a fear within an individual, fear of hell for example. But i was just taking that from the website which Kermit linked,
Swat is a luxuriant and scenic valley within 160 kms from three of Pakistan's most important cities: Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the capital. Approximately 1.5 million people live in this culturally rich area, which is approximately 5,000 square km in size ( roughly the size of Delaware )
Once an independent, relatively secular region, dotted with brooks, waterfalls, ski resorts and known for its glaciers, fruit orchards and pure honey,
Secular, the true meaning imo refers to a society which is not ruled by religion. A Secular society can exist with Religious groups within it, infact i believe it to be the case that the only society in which Religions can flourish is a Secular one. That's what i meant when i used the term Secular.
For me, i've only understood Pluralism in a religious context i.e that all religions are equal. However i see your interpretation and i think it's apporiate for this context. But my main point with Pluralism in this context is that complete freedom to think,say and be Governed may result in Islamic/Religious Extremists. That is the downside of this type of Pluralism. For a power to claim to support this type of ideology but put perimeters on it for others i can't see as justifiable. I think it goes without saying that there are Universal morals, where they come from is a different argument, so there is indeed sometimes reason for intervention. However, in the context of the Afghan war i dont think it constitutes the war, mainly because the Taliban were given acceptance to rule some areas. Also, it is important to note the portrayal of the Taliban controlling all of Afghanistan is extremely misleading, their are some Tribal areas which are under Tribe control, this is not the Taliban. They may sympathize with them but they are a separate force.
I agree with you again man, it is easy to fall into a Ultalitarian critique of situations. Ultalitarian being the political/moral Phillosophy that the right action is that which produces the best consequences for the majority. Put simply it is ' the greatest good for the greatest number.' However there are much more conditions put on that than just described. Whether this is a good way to govern society is another matter, an old lecturer of mine put it well when he said this approach is often ' neatly wrong while others messily correct.' In this context, the approach gives clear answers, just not the right ones.
I also think your right with people wanting the things you described. I just think for that to happen you need a tolerant liberal Democracy somethign which can only be built from the ground up. Not the other way around.
I'm not anti-intervention. I just not sure if the Afghanistan war can be justified, truth be told im sure its illegal. If we were that obessed with helping the world and its oppressed people, why not North Korea?