Does Culture Exist Without Religion?

 

If asked what culture is, the simplest answer would be that whatever people of a particular region do in their daily lives constitutes their culture. Among the factors that help form a culture in a specific area, one of the most powerful and interconnected is the 'belief of the majority of the people in that region,’ meaning 'religion.' It can be said that religion is not just a factor but the most influential force in shaping human behavior and culture.

From birth, people have no inherent sense of right or wrong, good or bad. The concept of morality is absent in them. This sense of 'right and wrong,' 'good and bad,' and 'morality' comes from family and society, which derive this moral concept from religion. Religion influences morality, language, art, literature, economy, and politics. In short, the religion of a region is the most significant influence in shaping its culture, particularly in shaping morality.

However, the hypocritical secular-liberal intellectuals of Bangladesh always try to separate religion from culture. They want a so-called secular, religion-free culture and society. However, separating religion from culture leaves culture without any actual existence. Religion is most significant in forming and structuring a culture’s practices, traditions, and moral values.

For example, the Bengalis of Bangladesh and those of West Bengal are Bengalis. Yet, the two regions have vast cultural, language, clothing, and lifestyle differences. Why is that? The only answer is that the Bengalis of West Bengal are Hindu regarding religious beliefs. Thus, Hinduism influences their culture, lifestyle, clothing, traditions, and beliefs. Every tradition they observe is connected to religion. Similarly, Hinduism has left its mark on their language. The Bengali language of West Bengal prominently features words from Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi, with Sanskrit being the most dominant, as it is the language of Hindu religious scriptures.

On the other hand, since the Bengalis of Bangladesh are predominantly Muslim, Islamic influence is evident in their culture. The daily lives of Bengali Muslims in Bangladesh revolve around the principles of Islam. Even in their celebrations and festivals, the impact of Islam can be seen. The difference between Islam and other religions is that while other religions are merely collections of rituals, Islam is a complete way of life. It provides clear guidance on personal life, family, society, and state affairs matters. A person who fully follows these guidelines is considered a Muslim. Since the people of Bangladesh are Muslim, their culture has developed under the influence of Islamic principles. The Bengali language of Bangladesh also reflects this influence, incorporating words from Arabic, Urdu, Persian, and Turkish.

Therefore, those who claim that "we need a secular, religion-free culture" actually know little about what culture is, what factors shape it, and how culture develops. They mindlessly parrot the slogans taught by Kolkata's intellectuals without the intelligence or analytical ability to understand or evaluate the matter.