Secularism

The other day when reading the news paper about the Chidambaram Temple and its administrative takeover by HR & CE department - I thought about what secularism means.
On searching the google - I found this explanation in wiki

Secularism is the concept that government or other entities should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs.
In one sense, secularism may assert the right to be free from religious rule and teachings, and freedom from the government imposition of religion upon the people, within a state that is neutral on matters of belief, and gives no state privileges or subsidies to religions. In another sense, it refers to the view that human activities and decisions, especially political ones, should be based on evidence and fact unbiased by religious influence. In its most prominent form, secularism is critical of religious orthodoxy and asserts that religion impedes human progress because of its focus on superstition and dogma rather than on reason & scientific. Secularism draws its intellectual roots from Greek and Roman philosophers such as Marcus Aurelius and Epicurus, Enlightenment thinkers like Denis Diderot, Voltaire, John Locke, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine, and modern freethinkers, agnostics and atheists such as Bertrand Russell and Robert Ingersoll.

The following questions rose in me immediately:
  1. Each person has his or own reasons to believe or non believe in anything - who are these people who can say that my beliefs are based on superstition. If I believe what my parents told me about my culture and its practices, these people believe from their experiences. What gives them the right to say a practice is a Superstition.
  2. Atheists always ask - Can you prove the existence of God. My question to them can you disprove that there is no God.

coming to the opening lines of my post,

  1. Is there any country in which a majority who believe in God's existence is ruled by a person who is an agnostic.
  2. In our state, we celebrate Telugu new Year, Malayalam new year, but Tamil new year which was always the start of the first month of the Tamil calender is no more the Tamil new year start, but is based on Thirvvalluvar calender. Where else will this be passed as a law expect in our state.
  3. The HR & CE takes over some of the temples stating that the administration is not proper and the temple's assets are misused. - Taking this to be a true statement - does that mean that all other temples which are privately maintained are proper in their administration or even go to the extent that the those temples that are maintained by HR & CE are perfect examples of administration.
  4. In our village there are 2 temples under this department care - we as villagers provide for the upkeep of the temples - what does this department do -apart from officiating
  5. Why should they take over only cash rich temples
  6. Why only Hindu temples are taken over by the government - why not the other religious community places of worship

Though I am a Hindu, I have faith in all religions as I believe that God is one and can be called by any name, but such acts by Government makes me upset.

According to me Secularism should be treating all religions whether it has major following or minor following, but I am getting a sense that saying we are secular, we are over protective of the minority religion.

Would love to hear all your comments

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