News stories about countries I've been to tend to catch my interest.. I usually skim them to get the gist of what's up.So today's news story about Nepal has me really interested. (I spent a few months there once.)
Mini-history from the little I know of Nepal - there's been a long history of warring factions between Communists, loyalists, democracists (???), and other political groups, and there has never been long times of peace... at least not recently.
Nepal has been the world's only "Hindu Nation," officially. Because it is squished between Tibet and India, there are strong Buddhist and Hindu religious influences, and they kind of get mashed together for a lot of Nepali people - a mix of Buddhism and Hindusim, perhaps... "Buddhindu"...
Now, while limiting the King's power, the Nepali Parliament has declared the nation a secular nation.
I find it very interesting because of the collision of changing social norms.
1. Ethnic Identity: In many cultures, one's identity is as part of the group - I am "Muslim because I am Malay," - for many it seems impossible to draw a distinction between the two ideas. I suppose it is like a family who only drives Fords - they don't drive them for any reason other than that they do... It's the way their family does things.
2. Political Identity: When I was in Indonesia, some of the older people were telling me that the youth are becoming more "People of the Nation" rather than "People of the Tribe." That is, the primary identity used to be as a part of one's family line.... and it is transitioning to be as part of one's nation - more like the idea that you do something because you are a citizen of a certain country.
As family identity weakes, group identity may not, creating a very strong identity as part of a group other than one's family.
Now, I haven't studied Nepali culture, and all the dynamics therein, but I wonder: What sort of impact will this religious move by the national government have on individuals' faiths in Nepal?
Will they become secular because that is the official stance of the government? Will there be a movement to explore other religions after realizing that if the country can change it's stance, so can I?
Nepal?
Dude. I thought you were going to blog about "Cooking with Brandy" (or Brandi, if she's really dumb). Don't give me any excuses about flying on a plane or anything, either.