Class 8 SS Chapter 2 Understanding the Secularism in English medium
Chapter 2 Understanding secularism exercise question answer
Q.1 List the different types of religious practice that you
find in your neighbourhood. This could be different forms of prayer, worship of
different gods, sacred sites, different kinds of religious music and singing
etc. Does this indicate freedom of religious practice?
Ans.
Q.2 Will the government intervene if some religious group
says that their religion allows them to practise infanticide? Give reasons for
your answer.
Ans.
The government will surely intervene if some religious group
says that their religion allows them to practice infanticide. Because the
practice of infanticide is a crime. It is against the right to freedom to
live. Moreover, it is a crime to kill or practice infanticide.
Q.3. Complete the following table:
Ans.
|
Objective |
Why is this
important? |
Example of a
violation of this objective |
|
One religious
community does not dominate another. |
It is very important to maintain
harmony and peace in the society. |
A Muslim living in a Hindu dominating
area is forbidden to offer namaz. |
|
The State
does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom
of individuals. |
It is very important to maintain
the secularism that is the ideal of
Indian constitution. |
Demolition of Babri Masjid |
|
That some
members do not dominate other members of the same religious community. |
It is important to establish equality
in the society. |
Dalits are not allowed to enter in
a temple. |
Q.4 Look
up the annual calendar of holidays of your school. How many of them pertain to
different religions? What does this indicate?
Ans.
Holidays in my school calendar for different religions-
|
Religions |
Holidays |
|
Hindu |
Holi, Dussehra, Deepawali, Ram
Navmi, Shivratri |
|
Muslim |
Id-ul-zoha, Id-ul-Fitr, Muharram |
|
Sikh |
Lohri, Guru Parv, Guru Gobind
Singh Jayanti |
|
Christian |
Christmas, Good Friday |
Q.5 Find
out some examples of different views within the same religion.
Ans. Different views are followed within the same religion. For example
a) In Hindu religion, there are hundreds of deities worshipped by different groups of people.
b) In the Muslim religion there are Shiyas and Sunnis.
c) In Christianity there are two streams i.e. Catholic and Protestant.
d) In Jainas, there are Shwetambar and Digambar
Q.6 The Indian State both keeps away from religion as well
as intervenes in religion. This idea can be quite confusing. Discuss this once
again in class using examples from the chapter as well as those that you might
have come up with.
Ans.
This statement is quite true. Its true that the Indian State
both keeps away from religion as well as intervenes in religion. This creates
confusion often. For example in secular state law has nothing to say in any of
the practices of the religion but when the dominance of upper castes in
religion was brought to question, the law took favour of the lower castes. This
interference of the State creates confusion.
Q.7 This poster alongside highlights the need for ‘Peace’.
It says, “Peace is a never-ending process....It cannot ignore our differences
or overlook our common interests.” Write in your own words what you think the
above sentences are trying to convey? How does it relate to the need for
religious tolerance?
 |
This chapter had three drawings on religious tolerance made
by students of your age. Design your own poster on religious tolerance for your
peers.
Ans. 1) Peace is a never-ending process. It is a life-long process.
2) Peace respects everyone’s freedom and minimize our difference.
3) Peace helps us to live together in harmony.
Important Keywords-Understanding secularism
1) Secularism - The term ‘secularism’ refers to the separation of the power of religion from the power of the State.
2) Coercion - To force someone to do something. In the context of this chapter, it refers to the force used by a legal authority like the State.
3) Intervene: In the context of this chapter, it refers to the State’s efforts to influence a particular matter in accordance with the principles of the Constitution.
4) freedom to interpret- ‘Freedom to interpret’ means an individual’s liberty to develop his own understanding and meaning of the religion that one practices.
5) Principled distance - This means that any interference in religion by the State has to be based on the ideals laid out in the Constitution.
Other Important Questions-Understanding secularism
Q.1 State some examples of discrimination which history
provides us.
Ans. History provides us with many examples of discrimination, exclusion and persecution on the ground of religion.
1) Jews were persecuted in Hitler’s Germany.
2) The Jewish state of Israel treats Muslim and Christian minorities quite badly.
3) In Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims are not allowed to build a temple, church etc nor they gather in a public place for prayers.
Q.2 Why is it Important to Separate Religion from the State?
Ans. There are two reasons for it.
1) Almost all countries of the world will have more than one religious group living in them. Within these religious groups, there will most likely be one group that is in a majority. If this majority religious group has access to State power, then it could quite easily use this power and financial resources to discriminate against and persecute persons of other religions.
2) It is important to separate religion from the State in democratic societies is because we also need to protect the freedom of individuals to exit from their religion, embrace another religion or have the freedom to interpret religious teachings differently.
Q.3 What are the objectives of Indian secularism?
Ans. There are three objectives of Indian secularism-
1) that one religious community does not dominate another;
2) that some members do not dominate other members of the same religious community;
3) that the State does not enforce any particular religion nor take away the religious freedom of individuals.
The Indian State is not ruled by a religious group and nor
does it support any one religion. In India, government spaces like law courts,
police stations, government schools and offices are not supposed to display or
promote any one religion.
Q.4 In what way is Indian secularism different from that of
other democratic countries?
Ans. There is one significant way in which Indian secularism
differs from the dominant understanding of secularism. In Indian secularism the
State can intervene in religious affairs. Indian Constitution intervened in
Hindu religious practices in order to abolish untouchability. In Indian
secularism, though the State is not strictly separate from religion it does
maintain a principled distance vis-Ã -vis religion. This means that any interference
in religion by the State has to be based on the ideals laid out in the
Constitution. The Indian State is secular and works in various ways to prevent
religious domination. The Indian Constitution guarantees Fundamental Rights
that are based on these secular principles.
Q.5 Fill in the blanks-
a) In the USA, most children in govt. school have to begin their school day by reciting the ________________.
b) France had faced a shortage of workers in __________.
c) Secularism refers to separation of religion from the ________.
d) The intervention of the state can also be in the form of ________.
(Answers : a) Pledge of Allegiance, b) 1960, c) State, d) support
Q.6 State whether each of the following statements is True or False.
1) In Indian secularism, the State is not strictly separate from religion.
2) Wearing a pagri is central to a Sikh’s religious practice.
3) Government schools can promote any one religion.
4) In Indian secularism, the State cannot intervene in religion.
Answer: 1-T, 2-T, 3-F, 4-F
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