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'''సెక్యులరిజం''' ('''Secularism''') అనేది ఒక 'స్వేచ్ఛాయుత ఆలోచన', దీని ప్రకారం, కొన్ని కార్యాచరణాలు లేదా సంస్థలు, మతము లేదా మతముల విశ్వాసాల నుండి వేరుగా యుంచుట. అనగా ప్రజల లేదా వ్యక్తిగత మతపరమైన మార్గాలనుండి లేదా మతపరమైన భావనలకు ప్రత్యామ్నాయంగా సెక్యులర్ భావాలను పెంపొందించుట.
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. (See also [[Separation of church and state]] and [[Laïcité]].) In another sense, it refers to a belief that human activities and decisions, especially [[political]] ones, should be based on evidence and fact rather than religious influence.<ref>Kosmin, Barry A. "Contemporary Secularity and Secularism." '''Secularism & Secularity: Contemporary International Perspectives'''. Ed. Barry A. Kosmin and Ariela Keysar. Hartford, CT: Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture (ISSSC), 2007.</ref> (See also [[public reason]].)
The purposes and arguments in support of secularism vary widely. In European [[laicism]], it has been argued that secularism is a movement toward [[modernization]], and away from traditional religious values. This type of secularism, on a social or philosophical level, has often occurred while maintaining an official [[state church]] or other state support of religion. In the [[United States]], some argue that state secularism has served to a greater extent to protect religion from governmental interference, while secularism on a social level is less prevalent.<ref>Yavuz, Hakan M. and John L. Esposio (2003) ‘’Turkish Islam and the Secular State: The Gulen Movement’’. Syracuse University, pg. xv-xvii. ISBN 0815630409</ref><ref>Feldman, Noah (2005). ''Divided by God''. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, pg. 147 ("But with the Second World War just ahead, secularism fo the antireligious type was soon to disappear from mainstream American society, to be replaced by a new complex of ideas that focused on secularizing the state, not on secularizing society.")</ref> Within countries as well, differing political movements support secularism for varying reasons.<ref>Feldman, Noah (2005). ''Divided by God''. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, pg. 25 ("Together, early protosecularists (Jefferson and Madison) and proto-evangelicals (Backus, Leland, and others) made common cause in the fight for nonestablishment [of religion] -- but for starkly different reasons.")</ref>
==వివరణ==
The term "secularism" was first used by the [[United Kingdom|British]] writer [[George Holyoake]] in 1846.<ref>Feldman, Noah (2005). Divided by God. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, pg. 113</ref> Although the term was new, the general notions of [[freethought]] on which it was based had existed throughout [[history]]. In particular, early secular ideas involving the separation of [[philosophy]] and [[religion]] can be traced back to [[Averroes|Ibn Rushd]] (Averroes) and the [[Averroism]] school of philosophy.<ref>Abdel Wahab El Messeri. [http://www.muslimphilosophy.com/tvtk/ch21.htm Episode 21: Ibn Rushd], ''Everything you wanted to know about Islam but was afraid to Ask'', ''Philosophia Islamica''.</ref><ref>Fauzi M. Najjar (Spring, 1996). [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2501/is_n2_v18/ai_18627295/pg_13 The debate on Islam and secularism in Egypt], ''Arab Studies Quarterly (ASQ)''.</ref> Holyoake invented the term "secularism" to describe his views of promoting a social order separate from religion, without actively dismissing or criticizing religious belief. An [[agnostic]] himself, Holyoake argued that "Secularism is not an argument against Christianity, it is one independent of it. It does not question the pretensions of Christianity; it advances others. Secularism does not say there is no light or guidance elsewhere, but maintains that there is light and guidance in secular truth, whose conditions and sanctions exist independently, and act forever. Secular knowledge is manifestly that kind of knowledge which is founded in this life, which relates to the conduct of this life, conduces to the welfare of this life, and is capable of being tested by the experience of this life."<ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13676a.htm ''Secularism''], Catholic Encyclopedia. Newadvent.org</ref>
Barry Kosmin of the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture breaks modern secularism into two types: hard and soft secularism. According to Kosmin, "the hard secularist considers religious propositions to be [[epistemological]]ly illegitimate, warranted by neither religion nor experience." However, in the view of soft secularism, "the attainment of absolute truth was impossible and therefore skepticism and tolerance should be the principle and overriding values in the discussion of science and religion."<ref>[http://www.trincoll.edu/NR/rdonlyres/9614BC42-9E4C-42BF-A7F4-0B5EE1009462/0/Kosmin_paper.pdf Kosmin, Barry A. "Hard and soft secularists and hard and soft secularism: An intellectual and research challenge."]</ref>
==సెక్యులర్ రాజ్యము==
In political terms, secularism is a movement towards the separation of religion and government (often termed the [[separation of church and state]]). This can refer to reducing ties between a government and a [[state religion]], replacing laws based on scripture (such as the [[Ten Commandments]] and [[Sharia]] law) with civil laws, and eliminating discrimination on the basis of religion. This is said to add to democracy by protecting the rights of religious minorities.<ref>Feldman, Noah (2005). ''Divided by God''. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, pg. 14 ("[Legal secularists] claim that separating religion from the public, governmental sphere is necessary to ensure full inclusion of all citizens.")</ref>
Secularism is often associated with the [[Age of Enlightenment]] in Europe, and plays a major role in [[Western culture|Western society]]. The principles, but not necessarily practices, of [[Separation of church and state in the United States]] and ''[[Laïcité]]'' in [[France]] draw heavily on secularism. As in the West, the idea of separation of religion and government has also existed in [[History of India|India since ancient times]]. An attempt was made (at least on paper and laws) to build the modern [[India]]n society on these values and to a certain extent, this attempt has been successful as well. Secular states also existed in the [[Islamic Golden Age|Islamic world]] during the later [[Middle Ages]].<ref>Ira M. Lapidus (October 1975). "The Separation of State and Religion in the Development of Early Islamic Society", ''International Journal of Middle East Studies'' '''6''' (4), p. 363-385.</ref>
[[Image:Liberte-egalite-fraternite-tympanum-church-saint-pancrace-aups-var.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Motto]] of the French republic on the [[Pediment|tympanum]] of a [[church]].]]
Due in part to the belief in the separation of church and state, secularists tend to prefer that politicians make decisions for secular rather than religious reasons.<ref>Feldman, Noah (2005). ''Divided by God''. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, pg. 6-8</ref> In this respect, policy decisions pertaining to topics like [[abortion]], [[embryonic stem cell]] research, [[same-sex marriage]], and [[sex education]] are prominently focused upon by American secularist organizations like, the [[Center for Inquiry]].<ref>Washington Post, November 15, 2006 [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/14/AR2006111401176.html "Think Tank Will Promote Thinking" ]</ref><ref>[http://www.cfidc.org/declaration.html "Declaration in Defense of Science and Secularism"]</ref>
Most major religions accept the primacy of the rules of secular, democratic society but may still seek to influence political decisions or achieve specific privileges or influence through church-state agreements such as a [[concordat]]. Many Christians support a secular state, and may acknowledge that the idea has support in biblical teachings, particularly Jesus' statement, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."<ref>[[Gospel According to Luke|book of Luke]], chapter 20, verse 25.</ref> (See [[Render unto Caesar...|article]]). However, some [[Christian fundamentalist]]s (notably in the United States) oppose secularism, often claiming that there is a "radical secularism" ideology being adopted in current days and see secularism as a threat to "Christian rights"<ref name="christianpost-jerrys-kids">{{cite web
| url = http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070519/27517_'Jerry's_Kids'_Urged_to_Challenge_'Radical_Secularism'.htm
| title = 'Jerry's Kids' Urged to Challenge 'Radical Secularism'
| author = Bob Lewis
| publisher = [[The Christian Post]]
| date = 2007-05-19
}}</ref> and national security.<ref name="positiveatheism-foulwel">{{cite web
| url = http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/foulwell.htm
| title = Jerry Falwell - Quotations - Seventh quotation
| author = Rev Jerry Falwell
| date = 2001-09-15
}}</ref> The most significant forces of religious fundamentalism in the contemporary world are [[Fundamentalist Christianity]] and [[fundamentalist Islam]]. At the same time, one significant stream of secularism has come from religious minorities who see governmental and political secularism as integral to preserving equal rights.<ref>Feldman, Noah (2005). ''Divided by God''. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, pg. 13</ref>
Some of the well-known [[constitution]]ally secular states are [[Canada]],<ref>[http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/csrpl/RINVol9No2/insert/Is%20Canada%20Secular.htm "Is Canada Secular?"]</ref> [[India]], [[France]], the [[United States]], [[Turkey]] and [[South Korea]], although none of these nations have identical forms of governance.
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