Bianjie

[journey]

A fight for faith: how government quietly tries to secularise the nation
A look inside the current state of religion in Bianjie, and the covert actions the government takes to decrease its presence
12 September 5671



For centuries, if not millennia, the small Bianjian state and its population have largely followed traditional folk religions, also known as Bianjian shamanism, with the majority of citizens believing in pantheons and animals, resulting in a shamanism that combines animism and polytheism. And, according to the polls, plurality of Bianjians have nothing against it, though the reformist movement is rising, and seemingly now, has taken over the socialist government, which is covertly trying to set the course towards a majority secular nation.

Officially, the socialists rarely take a stance against the religious groups, or faith in general, with some individual members, usually from the more radical and traditional left-wing wings of the party, including youth wing members, speaking out against religion and in favour of the secularisation of society. However, even though there is no official stance on the matter from the party or government, behind the scenes, the political leadership is attempting to take a stance and move towards reducing the country's religious presence. According to the anonymous interlocutors in the SPP, the party leadership, especially the secretary-general Jakdan Andara, have been demanding that leadership at the provincial and country levels hold lectures with the members and supporters and agitate to turn irreligious, even though there is admission in the SPP headquarters that it will not be that easy and could take generations of Bianjians to turn the numbers.

One of the main reasons why the socialists are doing this, according to the anonymous party member, is that the shamanist religions are "stalling the progress", especially now that Bianjie is transforming into an open society. "Basically, people who are following any folk religions are usually the working or lower class, less educated or completely uneducated people from mostly rural areas", says the anonymous member. "And in the leadership's vision, which, in all honesty, has some ground from the numbers the State Bureau of Statistics provides, shamanism is standing in the way of educating people". Some members go as far as calling folk religions "barbaric", calling for total eradication, through radical measures, but being stopped by the national leadership, who are taking it cautiously, to not anger the citizens, or spark social unrest.

On the other side, a significant part of the nation, usually Yingdalans in the north and Sumans in the southwest, follow Daenism as their faith, something which the socialists are "too afraid to touch", according to both SPP and PCP members, with the former saying that PCP, whose electorate consists primarily of the Yingdalans, also are conflicted on the issue, and usually trying to taboo the discussion of any actions against the Daenism in Bianjie, with the communist local representatives and mayors even supporting the Daenist churches and parishioners. "For them, going against the Daenism like this would mean the end of their monopoly on Yingdalans, and they can't lose it, so they have to tolerate religiosity through their teeth", a socialist anonymous interlocutor told us.

The government is looking into ways to limit the presence of the traditional folk religions in the nations, as well as Daenism and other less prevalent religions, but doing it very cautiously, so as not to tread on the freedom of religion, without sparking any unrest. "The idea is to make something truly crazy: a quiet revolution. They don't want it to be quick, but they need it to be swift. They don't want to make it hurt, but they want to make an impression", said the socialist interlocutor. According to him, SBS has presented the numbers on the effects of the local secularisation campaign, requested by the government, and there has been a slight decrease, but it is hard to say whether it was a result of SPP actions or simply Bianjie modernising as a result of globalisation and migration. There is certainly a vision of the anti-religious campaign in the Sōri Kōtei, yet it bumps into a lot of uncertainty, and questions as to how one must do it without force and public knowing about it in the first place.  



The Daily Report (日報), also known as Nippō, is a major daily newspaper based in Namušun, Bianjie.
The paper is published in both official languages in the broadsheet format and is also available online in other international languages.