Very informative and enlightening Discussion. Though I have not read all the threads, the few posts I read made me curious especially the ones belonging to scholarly Fatima. However, I agree with the thread title that state must be secular. When a state identifies itself with a particular religion, its constituents the citizens who do not subscribe to the state religion would surely face persecutions, besides such state perpetually threatens other states secular or religious. History stands witness to this fact. Moreover state exists for the protection of its constituents with whose consent state came into being as the political thinkers believe, thus the basic purpose of state is the protection of its citizens against external and internal threats, however when state identifies itself with a religion it defies its basic purpose, as the minorities would stand exposed to threats, as it has happened frequently. If not religion Likewise state should not identify itself with any other ideology rather state should be a neutral judge whose main function should be to enforce the terms of agreement which created state therefore the welfare of its citizens should be its prime aim and governments should be installed to pursue the same. State identifying with any ideology seeks to impose on the others the same, many examples exist like Soviet Union communism and American Capitalism. The leading ideology Capitalism has come to dominate the world virtually all the states follow it. Now we see a campaign against it worldwide, which some believe is against no particular government but against a system. It means people want that their state should give up identifying itself with an ideology rather state should perform its primary function, which is the welfare and security of its citizens. I welcome criticism!

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Prejudice is an opinion without judgment. Voltaire my hero