Our values, our own secularism

Naeem Saib has pointed towards a very important issue—perhaps the core issue—of secularism in our society. We have our own Sufi traditions of music, love ceremonies, festivals and carnivals. Unfortunately we are fast loosing these traditions in the name of so-called imported and imitative Western secular life-style (Western secularism) which has resulted into spiritual emptiness and decay of all moral virtues, lack of association with the indigenous soil and people and more importantly lack of originality. 

An important facet of this decay and imitation is social and political activism which is devoid of any commitment to public service and philanthropy. To quote Naeem Saib, “these despicable secularists are themselves very intolerant and an extension of the West that borrow from the West the hedonist ideas without internalizing West's values of charity, philanthropy, liberty, self-sacrifice, commitment to their societies, etc.”

According to him our liberal inspiration should come from the norm and values of our own ancient culture and the lives and thoughts of our leaders and heroes. He further says that secularism needs redefinition based on the objective conditions of our society. “Keep the pace slow and work towards the improvement of the lives of common people, create strong economies, establish rule of law, etc.”

He further says that We don't need these NGOs and the so-called secular political lot and the British Raj associated feudal lot and their heirs who beat the drum of secularism to maintain their hedonist life-style and fulfill their hedonist wishes (and ensure salaries and perks in case of NGOs) without truly devoted to the empowerment of our people.

It is true that the so-called secular lot is suffering from the same cognitive dissonance which we associate with our directionless youth—the product of flawed education system. They apparently talk about a higher morality by preaching secularism (in fact they are more obsessed with their personal character and its greatness) while at the same time they have multiple standards which they justify in the name of expediency and in most cases they are far far away from the indigenous roots and the people.